CHAPTER 1

He was an early riser and even this was too early for him, Hawke thought as he waited in Michael Coldsmith-Brigg's office. Marella had brought coffee and enough sweets to keep him on a sugar high for days, but at the moment, it would require too much effort on his part to retrieve them from the table. He hadn't exactly slept well since his most recent excursion in Vietnam which had caused him to doubt many things of his seemingly endless search for his brother, but even beyond that he and Dom had been up late the last two days trying to get one of the Jet Rangers rigged for a film shoot coming up in the morning that Cait was supposed to fly. He had hardly walked in the door when Michael had called on the satellite phone saying he needed to see him immediately.

At last, his long wait of approximately five minutes was over as a somewhat rumpled looking white clad spy entered the room. He wasted no time with presentations or greetings however. Maybe even Michael needed some sleep, Hawke thought cynically to himself.

"You brother Saint John has been found," he said without preamble, "that's the good news. I'm nearly positive it's him in an inconspicuous camp in Cambodia with one other surviving prisoner, maybe two." He paused briefly then continued, "that bad news is that we're going to have a hell of time getting him back. The leaders of this rebel group have been talking about moving, or simply killing, the remaining prisoners in the camp. Guess they figured by now nobody was ever going to come after them and they were becoming more trouble than they were worth. No matter how you look at it, time is extremely limited and there's not much I can do to help you. Despite my efforts to be discreet, the Committee has found out about my little side project and aren't too happy about it. If they find out I've been telling you any of this I'm likely to be terminated and however it goes down I won't be able to help you any more." He handed him a FIRM crested folder. "That's all I can do, Hawke; I'm sorry it isn't more. And I wish you the best of luck, but please, for you sake as well as mine, don't get caught with those files."

\A/

The Cabin

3:40 am

Michael was right - that had to be Saint John, although looking much older and rougher than he remembered. It had been sixteen years though and nothing could change that. He flipped to the last page of the file and read through it, absorbing every detail.

The mid-air refuels were set up and all he had to do with Airwolf was the standard pre-flight check. If all went well he could be leaving my mid-morning. Climbing the stairs up to the loft, he took a quick shower and redressed, taking a duffle bag in which he packed a pair of jeans and a couple shirts before walking back downstairs and out the front door. He threw the bag and FIRM folder into co-pilot's seat of the Jet Ranger and lifted off toward the hangar.

Caitlin had just gotten to the hangar and put on the first pot of coffee when he arrived, going over the other helicopter before she left for the early morning job.

"What're you up to?" she asked as she gathered her clothes to change into for the scene. "You're up here awfully early even for you."

"Michael found him, but I've got to get over there soon before they're moved again, or worse," he answered vaguely as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "When's Dom supposed to get here this morning? I've-"

"String," Caitlin interrupted, wincing as he yelped in pain from pouring scaling coffee over his hand. "Slow down for a minute will ya? Michael found who? You've already lost me and we've only been talking for about two minutes."

"Michael has located my brother in Cambodia among two of three survivors. The Russian have been meeting with them lately though and there have been rumors of moving the prisoners or simply killing them, and soon."

"When are leaving?" she queried.

"I'm hoping to leave later this morning as soon as I can get out of here."

"Count me in as soon as this shoot is over which shouldn't take more than an hour or two at most. Dom'll probably be along later, but I doubt he'll have any problems."

"Just remember you don't have to do this, especially after what happened last time," Hawke reminded.

"We know, but we want to. It's a risk we're willing to take, so stop worrying about it so much - you aren't the only one who gets to go risking your life on a whim."