Plot

Five-O's Chin Ho Kelly is framed as part of a plot to discredit the state police unit. McGarrett & Co., however, turn the tables on the man responsible for the plot.

During a narcotics bust by Five-O and HPD, drug dealer Amuru complains loadly to Danny that he was supposed to be protected by pay-off money he gave to Chin Ho Kelly. Word leaks to the media and the governor, casting a cloud of corruption doubt over the elite team.

We then see crime syndicate boss Brohme discussing the story with hot shot attorney Eddie Calhao (a very young Martin Sheen). Calhao has experience with smear campaigns and tells Brohme that harsh tactics are needed to bring down Five-O.

Chin is questioned about the bribes and takes a lie detector test, passing it but also having a lot of anxiety over the allegations. The rest of Five-O are trying to understand what is happening, doing some investigating as reporter Garland promises to keep quiet so as to prevent a media circus.

Another event is planned, and a patsy is setup for an apparent shake down by Chin. Two of Calhao`s stooges shoot out a window of the patsy`s car as part of the scheme and HPD shows up. The patsy proclaims during questioning that Chin tried to extort more money from him and shot at the car. Chin has no solid alibi for the time frame involved.

Garland at the newpaper gets an annonymous tip about a bank account for an oriental named Sung. Danny gets a court order to view the activity with bank manager Summers. He sees evidence for the last six weeks showing $200 deposits and when Summers is questioned by McGarrett at Five-O HQ, he identifies Chin as Mr. Sung, but his story has holes especially when McGarrett questions him why he remembers so much about the new account for Sung (Chin) but little about over 70 other new accounts opened at the bank since the Sung account. The business suit Summers said Sung wore that day, blue, matches one Chin has, but his is heavy wool for winter wear, and it was hot and humid the day the account was openned. Summers is nervous after the interrogation, and followed by Danny he goes to see Calhao.

With the connection to Calhao, Danny and Five-O investigate his background and discover he works for Brohme. McGarrett decides to press forward with heat on Brohme so Danny makes a call at Brohme`s house, telling him that all his network is being leaned on and arrests were occurring and his phone will start ringing, which it does. Danny leaves telling him the scrutiny is not over.

Meanwhile, Calhao has arranged for Summers to be killed to protect the frame. Chin gets a phone call tip to meet someone in the middle of the night and leaves alone for the remote rendevous. Summers is executed and McGarrett is forced to take action, Chin has to turn in his badge and take administrative leave.

Calhao is returning to his office late in the evening and finds the door slightly ajar. When he turns on the lights, he sees his office has been ransacked and he calls the airport to arrange for a flight off the island. As he leaves to get into his car, a shot rings out and strikes the pavement in front of him.

Calhao runs across the street into a building under construction, followed by two men in trench coats. He is shot again and starts going further up into the building still followed by the two men in trench coats. As he gets to another floor he hears sirens coming and runs to the front of the building spotting McGarrett and an HPD car showing up. He yells to them and reverses his tracks to get out onto the street and comes up to McGarrett, he wants protection because he thinks Brohme has sent the two men to kill him.

McGarrett tells Calhao the only way he can protect him is if he is in police custody and reveals all the details of the frame in a sworn statement. Calhao agrees to go down to police HQ and is taken off by the HPD officer. When it is clear, out walk Danny and Kono in trench coats, and McGarrett teases them they must have shot pretty close to Calhao to spook him so. They laugh it off and McGarrett offers to take them back to Five-O. Before leaving the scene, McGarrett gets patched through to Chin and tells him to be back at work first thing in the morning, the frame is over.