Story 2 Moving Forward

by robertwnielsen

As Hawke finds out that an old enemy has new plans for him, Cait's nightmares worsen – and a new one threatens not only her happiness with Hawke, but her sanity.

Chapter 2 – Moving Forward

By: robertwnielsen

Disclaimer: I do not own Airwolf – Either Bellisario or Universal does. This story is based on my interpretation of what might have happened after the events in Sirius7's story From Nightmares to Dreams. However, events in my story will have no effect on events in hers. This is my interpretation of it. Events in this story occur within a few days of the events of What Now?

Summary: As Hawke finds out that an old enemy has new plans for him, Cait's nightmares worsen – and a new one threatens not only her happiness with Hawke, but her sanity.

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Previously...

It was happening in front of her eyes all over again. She had gone into Stringfellow's room at the Horn compound, tried to get him to recognize her as his friend, even though her red hair was hidden under the green ball cap of one of Horn's troops. Hawke's gaze was as cold as she'd ever seen it, when suddenly, he yelled, "SPY!" and attacked her. After a brief scuffle, she'd jabbed the needle into him...and then...

"HAWKE! I THOUGHT IT WOULD HELP YOU! NO! NO!" Caitlin O'Shaunessey sat bolt upright in bed, screaming, as her recurring nightmare overtook her again. Suddenly, a warm hand touched her shoulder, and a familiar voice called, "Cait! I'm right here! I'm okay! Wake up! Cait, please, wake up!" Just then, her hazel eyes, clouded over once again with tears, snapped open, and she reached out to touch his face, just to make sure that he was real. "String? Is it...really you?"

"Yeah, Cait. It's me. I'm here. I'm alive." He pulled her close to him for a tender, comforting embrace, and they sank back into the bed they had shared since the first nightmares overtook Caitlin's life. Hawke had initially thought it was post-traumatic stress disorder, because of what she had seen at the Horn compound those months ago. She had hoped the nightmares would be easing by now, but if anything, they seemed to be getting worse.

"You want to talk about it?"

"Oh, it was the same one all over again. I saw you, unconscious, not moving...hardly even breathing. You were...dead. And," she shook her head, and tried to clear her eyes so she could look at him, "I was the one who had killed you."

"Well, either we're both having an out of body experience, or you didn't kill me, because I'm right here beside you, just like I promised I would be." Hawke placed her head against his chest, allowing her to hear the beating of his heart once again, hoping it would help her relax. "Will they ever stop, Hawke?"

Sighing, he kissed the top of her head. "I don't know, Cait. I just don't know."

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The Lair, the next morning

"So, what are you thinking about that letter you got?" Hawke's old friend and mentor, Dominic Santini, was looking at Hawke as they finished loading one of Airwolf's weapons bays with a supply of AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. These provided short-range air-to-air capability against enemy aircraft, and if what Hawke suspected was true, they'd be needing these weapons, and soon. Caitlin sat in the engineer's station of the Electronic Data Command Center, watching as system gauges registered connectivity with the weapons. Sighing, she looked out at the two most important men in her life. My guys, as she liked to call them, even though only one really belonged to her. And I'm even sharing him with this Lady, she mused to herself. But, this better be the ONLY lady I have to share him with.

"I'm thinking she was right. It's not Airwolf Angelica's after. It's me." And, he knew the feisty redhead at Airwolf's engineering station would have no part of that, one way or another. If it came to a showdown with Angelica, Hawke had a feeling that Cait wanted Angelica's head. Caitlin saw Hawke's expression and knew what he was thinking, and silently added her own thoughts – You're right, String. I do want Angelica's head! Preferably stuffed and mounted, she thought to herself, a strange gleam coming into her eye at the thought of getting even with the millionairess who had caused her so much pain, in one form or another.

"That's it, we're all ready to go." Hawke said, closing up the last weapons bay. "Anybody up for a check ride?"

Dominic said, "Well, normally I'd say yes, 'cause you know I can't resist a ride with my sweetheart, but I have a doctor's appointment in about an hour, and since my seat's already filled," he turned and winked at Hawke's new partner, "you two have a good time. And remember..."

"Don't do anything you wouldn't do. And just what are we supposed to do in Airwolf, Dom?" String clapped his old friend on the shoulder, and he noticed a wicked gleam in his friend's eye.

"Oh, you two could think of something, if you put your minds to it. Reminds me of the time your dad and I..."

"Dom. Your appointment?"

"Right. So long, you two!" Dom jumped into one of the red, white and blue Santini Air jeeps as String climbed into the cockpit and began the startup sequence to lift Airwolf from her underground lair. "Everything okay, String?"

Hawke turned and glanced back at the new occupant of the EDCC, as Airwolf's engines spooled up to speed. "Yeah, everything's fine. Dom was just...being Dom."

Cait laughed, and said, "What did he say this time? He told you that we shouldn't do anything he wouldn't do?"

Hawke pulled back the collective, and Airwolf began rising up the chimney. "You were eavesdropping?" He knew Airwolf could pick up any sounds within the Lair, if the recorders were on. "Just how much did you hear, anyway?"

"Enough to convince myself that I want to be there when you go after Angelica. I was right, wasn't I? It's not this ship she wants. It's you."

Hawke knew his new engineer was right – Angelica wanted him. The question, he thought as the sleek black and gray chopper finally cleared the chimney, was why? Hawke was afraid he knew the answer, and was even more afraid of what Cait would do when she encountered their mutual enemy.

"Ready back there?"

"All systems in the green, Hawke."

"I meant, are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be. You know I still haven't gotten used to how fast our Lady moves."

"Well, then you better hang on. Turbos!"

"Turbos." She pushed the lever forward and waited for the jolt that would push her back into the seat as the powerful turbines engaged. When it finally happened, she said, "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

"You said that before," Hawke replied, giving an evil glance back over his shoulder at her, "but you keep coming back."

"Stringfellow Hawke, if we weren't busy flying this thing, I swear I'd...oh, I don't know what I'd do, but you wouldn't like it!"

"I don't doubt that for a minute." He tried to keep the tone of his voice stern, but knew he was fighting a losing battle. Just then, he heard Airwolf's computer ID scan program kick in, much as it had the day before. "Hawke, we've got..."

"Company." He finished for her. "Vipers again?"

"Not this time. Looks like two F-4 Phantoms – Sparrow and Sidewinder armament. Heading 350, Angels 5, range 20 miles. You think they're looking for us?"

"Well, let's not take any chances. Reverse turbos, stand by to reengage rotors."

"Thrusters reversed. Speed 600 knots."

"As soon as we're below 300 knots, I want weapons to..."

"Combat mode. Got it." She watched the airspeed indicator drop...500...450...350...325...300...Got it! Deftly, she flipped the switches to deploy Airwolf's chain guns and ADF pods, newly armed with Sidewinder missiles. I thought Dom was the only one who could finish my sentences for me, String said to himself in amazement. "Where are they?"

"1:00, 15 miles and closing. Hawke, missiles in the air! Sidewinders!"

"How many?"

"Two. Range 11 miles."

"Gimme two Sunbursts. Raise our IR suppression."

"IR Suppresion factor 98.4. Sunbursts." Within seconds, the two missiles were decoyed away from Airwolf by the powerful countermeasures.

"Where are they now?"

"12:00, 11 miles. Looks like they're setting up for another attack run."

"They won't get the chance." Pressing the button to drop his targeting visor, he quickly locked on to both F-4's, dispatching them with precise Sidewinder shots. "Any more bandits?"

"Scope's clear. Nice going, Hawke."

"Thanks. You weren't so bad yourself. Looks like Dom taught you pretty well."

"You could say he taught me everything I know."

"I don't have to say it. You just did." Even through their flight helmets, both pilots could see the grins on the other's face. "But for now, get me..."

"Good morning, Airwolf," the rich baritone of Archangel filled the cockpit. How does she do that? Hawke wondered to himself. "Airwolf? Do you read?"

"Sorry, Michael. Lost in thought. You find out anything about our two friends from yesterday?"

"Not yet."

"Well, add two more to the list. We just got jumped by two Phantoms. Something's going on here, Michael, and I want to know what it is!"

"That makes two of us, Hawke. All right, I'll keep digging. Angel One, clear."

"Airwolf, clear. Cait?"

"Yes?"

"Let's head for home." Airwolf quickly turned, accelerating back towards the Lair.

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The Lair

"That was fun, Hawke. Hey, what are we going to..."

"Quiet! Somebody's here!"

Cait and Hawke both drew their weapons. "All right, whoever you are! Come out where we can see you! Hands in the air!"

"Hey, don't shoot! It's me!" Dominic appeared from behind a large rock formation just meters away from the landing pad, hands raised as high as they could go. "I got here about 10 minutes ago and decided to wait and see if you came back. It's not often I get to see my sweetheart come in, you know."

"Well, next time leave a note or something, will you?" Both Hawke and Caitlin put their pistols away, and the three friends exited the Lair, re-arming the security system as they did so. If anybody went into the Lair without knowing a specific four-digit security code, alarms rang both at Santini Air and at Hawke's cabin.

"So, what did the doctor have to say, Dom?" String wanted to know how his friend was doing – after all, he mused, Dom's not as young as he used to be.

"Well, aside from a few new wrinkles, everything's still A-okay. I'm still hittin' on all eight cylinders, buddy." Dominic grinned as he climbed behind the wheel of one of his company's custom Jeeps. "You guys take the afternoon off – we don't have anything pressing, and you could probably use the down time."

"Thanks, Dom. But you'll call if something comes up, right?"

"Hey, of course I will! Arrivederci, you two! And remember..." And the Jeep was gone in a cloud of dust.

"Don't do anything you wouldn't do," Caitlin & Hawke both said in unison to the rapidly dissipating dust cloud.

"Well. Guess we've got some time on our hands. Any suggestions on how we can spend it, Mr. Hawke?" There was a gleam in Caitlin's eye that frankly worried her companion.

"I'll think about it, and I'll let you know. For now, let's go home." The pair climbed into the second Jeep and headed back towards Santini Air, and then home.

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"Come on, Hawke! It wasn't that bad, was it? Caitlin and Hawke walked back to his car, arm in arm, after watching Gone With The Wind at a classic movie theater.

"Okay, it wasn't that bad," he replied, turning to glance at his date, "but you know me. I prefer a good sports or action flick." He held the door for Caitlin, then quickly ran to the other side and got in, started the engine and left the parking lot, headed for home.

"What? You mean you don't get enough action in the Lady?" Caitlin teased him, and ruffled her fingers through his hair just to show there were no hard feelings. After all, she mused, he did let me pick the movie tonight.

"That's different, Cait, and you know it," his gruff voice didn't deter Caitlin in the slightest, and he knew he was fighting yet another losing battle. "It's a guy thing. I would think, with all the brothers you have, you'd understand."

She affectionately patted his leg, saying, "Oh, believe me, Hawke, I understand. I'm just glad you've broadened your horizons a little beyond shoot-em up movies like Die Hard or Top Gun."

As they pulled into the driveway, Hawke noticed something didn't feel right. It was the same feeling he'd had back at the Lair earlier in the day."Didn't we leave the lights on when we left?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Can't you tell? They're not on now. Stay in the car."

"No way, String. You might fly that great battleship with rotors, but I know hand-to-hand combat. If somebody's in there, you might need backup." Hawke had to admit, much as he hated it, that she was right. Their experience at the Horn compound had proven that to him, if nothing else. "All right," he said, "stay close."

String opened the door to a scene reminiscent of a disaster movie. The living room was wrecked, broken photos and furniture scattered everywhere. Suddenly, Hawke's hypersensitve hearing heard a noise in the bedroom. "Cait, follow me. There's somebody in the bedroom."

Cait laid a hand on his shoulder, and whispered, "Promise me you'll show me how to do that, someday."

"Someday."

Quietly, they made their way to the bedroom, being careful not to make any sudden noise that might alert the intruders. Hawke snapped on the lights and found two men in black jeans, sweaters, and ski masks, who were tearing up the bedroom much as the rest of the house had been. One attacked Hawke directly, and wound up getting a back body drop for his trouble, but the second man gave a vicious left hook that left Hawke dazed, not to mention more than a little confused. The second man turned towards Caitlin, with an evil grin that was visible even through the mask. His mood quickly changed, however, as a devastating left hook, followed by a quick right cross sent him straight to dream land, just as the first intruder got back to his feet.

He moved to attack Hawke's blind side, but was quickly met with a vicious blow to the back of the head. He slumped, unconscious, as Caitlin shook out her hand and said, "I prefer dogfights in the Lady. Much safer."

"Yeah. I just wish one of these punks was still conscious – I have a funny feeling that this is all connected to Ms. Horn, but we need proof. Well, let's get the police called, then you're going to need a place to stay."

"Well, I suppose we could get a hotel or something..."

"No way. We're heading up to the cabin. And, in the morning, we'll talk to Michael and try to get some things sorted out." He noticed Cait's shy expression and said, "Cait, it's okay. We've been alone together at the cabin before."

"Yeah, but not like this, Hawke. Not sharing a bed together."

"It wouldn't be any different than sharing your bed, Cait." He slipped an arm around her shoulders, to comfort her not only from the disaster here, but from the nightmare he knew was yet to come. Fortunately, Dom was staying late at Santini Air, and when he heard what had happened, was more than willing to fly them both up to Hawke's cabin, despite the late hour. As they got out of the chopper, Dom said, "I'll be back to pick you kids up in the morning! Hey, String!"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think it was..."

"Angelica. Yeah, I do. I think all these incidents – the two dogfights in Airwolf, the attack tonight, they're all connected to her, somehow. We've just got to prove it."

"I suppose that means you'll be calling..."

"Archangel. You got it," String said, and winked at his longtime partner. After making sure they had the few bags they had retrieved from Caitlin's house, String patted the side of the chopper and said, "Good night, Dom. See you in the morning."

"Good night, you two! And Cait?"

"Yeah, Dom?"

"Try to get some sleep, will you?"

She smiled, half relieved that Dom hadn't given them his usual sendoff, but also worried that she looked as bad as she felt.

"NO! THAT'S NOT TRUE! IT'S NOT TRUE, DAMMIT! HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU!" Words Hawke had not expected to hear jolted him out of his sleep, as he looked at the redhead next to him. Okay. Now, I'm worried, Hawke said to himself. This isn't the same nightmare – this one sounds personal. Once again, as he had done so many nights before, he took gentle hold of Cait's shoulders to attempt to wake her up.

"Cait. Please, wake up. It's me, String. I'm right here. Please, wake up."

Just as happened the first night, the moment she woke up, Caitlin kissed him. A deep, passionate kiss that even rivaled the first kiss those many months ago. When they separated, Hawke said, "Tell me." And by the tone of his voice, Caitlin knew it was an order, rather than a request.

"It was Angelica. You were...standing next to her, holding her. She was telling me...that you...that you loved her. That you two were..."

"That we were what, Cait? Come on, talk to me."

She glanced sheepishly up at him and said, pointedly, "That you two were lovers."

Stunned, Hawke was unsure how to respond. He knew he and Angelica were never intimate...at least, he didn't think they had been. But, suddenly, Caitlin's words after the rescue mission came back to him. I've got dibs on Angelica, she had said. He never understood what those words had meant...until now.

"You thought Angelica and I...that we slept together?"

"That's what she was telling me...in my nightmare. Oh, God, Hawke! First I dreamed that I killed you, now this! What's happening to me? Am I going crazy, Hawke?"

"I don't know, Cait."

She wrapped her arms around him and held him, scared to let go, for fear he would disappear forever. Her entire body shook with her sobs, and Hawke could do nothing but wrap her in his arms and hold her, trying to ease these new demons that had somehow appeared.

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Knightsbridge

"Looks like you might have caught on to something, Hawke." Archangel mused as he read over the police report on the attack on Caitlin's house. "My contacts at Portland Air Force Base told me something very interesting."

"Really? What?"

"Two squadrons of aircraft – one F-16 and one F-4, along with all the air-to-air missiles and external fuel cells they can carry, have gone rogue."

"Rogue? What do you mean, rogue?" Hawke knew it was irregular, maybe nigh on to impossible, for two whole squadrons to turn. A few pilots, maybe. But two whole squadrons? It just didn't make sense.

"Somebody made their CO's an offer they couldn't refuse. And one of my contacts told me that they happened to glance at the transfer orders. Care to guess who's initials were on the chit?"

"Angelica Horn," came a voice from the other end of the room. Caitlin stood up, and even after Dom's advice of the night before, still looked like hell warmed over. "It was Horn, wasn't it?"

Archangel sighed. "Yes, it was. What we don't know is whether her father's involved, or if this is some sort of independent operation."

Hawke glanced over at his companion. "Cait, can you..."

"Oh, yeah. I'll go find Marella and get some coffee, or something."

As he watched Caitlin walk out of Archangel's office, the older man turned to his young friend with a concerned expression. "Something you want to talk to me about, Hawke?"

"This is an independent operation, Michael. Angelica's not after Airwolf, this time. She's after me."

"How do you know?"

"Partially a note that was delivered to Santini Air a couple of days ago, and partially a new nightmare Caitlin had last night. This one wasn't about her thinking she'd killed me, Michael. She told me that Angelica came to her and told her...that she and I had been lovers."

"What?"

"Believe me, Michael, I was as shocked as you."

"You weren't, were you?"

"Honestly, Michael, I don't know. We could have been...I was so drugged out that I couldn't have told you what day it was before Cait found me. So, it's possible that something happened...but...I would think I would remember it, wouldn't you?"

"I certainly hope so," Michael said, grinning, but stopped when he saw the grim expression on Hawke's face, an expression he knew all too well. "Hawke. You know I don't mean that."

"I know, Michael. Listen. I need to ask for a couple of favors."

"You name it."

"First off, get a crew up to the cabin and have it swept. If there's so much as a hint of an electronic bug up there, I want it gone. Same goes for Dom's choppers. I don't want anybody, besides you, me, Dom, and Cait to know what's going on and where she is."

"Consider it done. What else?"

"Seal any and all records regarding my taking Caitlin up to the cabin. Change-of-address, service cancellations, anything. Nobody, and I mean nobody gets to see those records. Understand?"

"It'll be a little harder, but I'll contact the necessary agencies myself. I'll let you know when everything is taken care of. And I'll bury it all under an Omega 5 classification."

Hawke knew "Omega 5" was beyond "Top Secret." Way beyond. "Thanks, Michael. She doesn't want to go back to her house again, and I'm just trying to keep her safe."

"Is there something going on between you two that..."

"Let's just say I don't want to see her get hurt. In any way."

Archangel laid a hand on the younger man's shoulder, and said, "She's lucky to have you, Hawke. We all are. Just take care of her, okay? After all, she is one of only three people who knows how to fly Airwolf."

"You don't need to remind me of that, Michael. And, thanks. For everything."

"Any time, Hawke. Listen, if you feel like Cait needs some professional help..."

"I'll let you know."

He found Caitlin in the commissary with Marella, nursing what looked to be a large cup of coffee. Marella got up from her seat and hugged Hawke, saying, "She's a wreck, Hawke. She's scared to death that she's going to lose you. Either to death, or to Angelica Horn. Do you want me to find out about..."

"Michael already asked me. Right now, no. But, it's certainly an option." He winked at the dark-skinned agent, and said, "Thanks, Marella."

"Any time, Hawke." She squeezed his arm affectionately, and as he sat down at the table next to Caitlin, turned and walked towards the elevators to head back to Michael's office.

She looked up sheepishly, and Hawke could see the worry in her beautiful hazel eyes. "Hawke, they think I need a shrink, don't they?"

Hawke knew he couldn't lie to her. Not now. "Yeah. Michael and Marella both suggested it. But...I don't think so. Not yet, anyway."

"You think a few days' rest up at the cabin with you will cure all my ills, huh?"

"Maybe."

"I can think of something better."

"What's that?"

"Seeing Angelica Horn dead." Hawke had never seen her eyes grow so cold. But, I'd feel the same way if I had a nightmare like that about her, he mused to himself. Aloud, he said, "No, Cait. You don't want to become a killer for real. Not like her. Not like her father. You're better than that. That's why I love you, Texas." Cait grinned at the old nickname Hawke used to use on her when he was annoyed.

"I know, Hawke. I'm just so..."

"Scared. I know. So am I." He took her by the hand and led her out of the office complex, back to where Dominic waited with the Santini Air chopper to take them home.

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The flight back to the cabin had passed in silence, and Dominic was very worried. It wasn't unlike String to brood, especially in a case like this, but Cait? Her silence was the last thing he had expected. But, he reasoned, she's exhausted, and her mind's been pulled a thousand different directions at once.

Tet, String's faithful blue tick hound, greeted them both as they walked through the door. Once she had found a seat on the couch, she gave Tet a requisite scratch behind the ears, as Hawke fixed them both a drink.

"Hawke? What did you and Michael talk about while I was gone?"

"About you. And how I want to keep you safe. You'll be staying here from now on."

"For how long, Hawke?"

He came to sit on the couch next to her, and handed her a glass of wine while he brushed a few strands of hair off her forehead. "For as long as you want to be here, Cait. I know how hard it would have been to go back to your house after what happened. I told Archangel, and he agreed to keep these records sealed. Top-security classification. As far as the world's concerned, you've disappeared."

"You mean like a certain black battleship with rotors?" She grinned and winked at him knowingly.

Hawke chuckled and winked back, glad to see her smile. "Yeah, something like that."

Tears glistened in her eyes again. "Thanks, Hawke. For everything."

"You're welcome, Cait. He realized they had both forgotten about the half-empty drinks on the table, and said, "Hey, I got an idea."

"What?"

He stood up, extending a hand. "Come on."

She took his hand and they went outside to sit in the large chair. "Okay, you asked me to teach you how my hearing got so good. Lesson #1: Be quiet. Be very quiet. Close your eyes."

"All right."

"Lesson #2. Relax. I know it's hard, especially now. But trust me. Just relax, let your mind drift free...like we were in the Lady, together. Now. Do you hear it?"

Her brow scrunched up, like she was concentrating on something far off in the distance. Hawke gently stroked the back of her hand, whispering, "Don't push it. Let it come. Just relax..."

Her eyes stayed closed, but she smiled. "Is that...an eagle I hear?"

String glanced up, and sure enough, an eagle had just appeared on the horizon, diving low to pluck a fish out of the lake, and screaming all the way. "Take a look."

She opened her eyes just as the eagle disappeared from view. "I did it. I actually did it!"

Hawke grinned as he felt her arms around his neck. "You sure did, Cait. And, I can tell you, it gets easier with practice. It's really just a matter of opening yourself to the world and everything in it. Before long, you'll be befuddling everybody. Michael, Dom, Marella – they won't believe there are two of us with super-hearing. We'll practice every evening, if that's what you want."

She smiled at him. "Yes. I want that." And something else, she felt a thought creep into the corners of her mind, but firmly pushed it away. It wasn't time, she knew. Not yet. Maybe we're up to #120, she grinned to herself as she and Hawke went back inside the cabin to get ready for bed.

"HAWKE! COME BACK TO ME, PLEASE! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND, HAWKE? I LOVE YOU!" In Caitlin's mind's eye, Hawke held Angelica Horn in a tender embrace, and Angelica laughed, an evil, sadistic laugh, and said, "Forget it, honey. He never loved you! Never, do you hear me?"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! I KNOW HE LOVES ME! HE TOLD ME SO!"

In her dream, Hawke simply tightened his arms around Angelica, and his words chilled her straight to her soul. Two words she had never, ever expected to hear from Hawke. "I lied." Then...

Caitlin felt a warm hand touch her shoulder again. She sat up and looked around. Hawke's cabin. She remembered – after her house had been ransacked, Hawke had moved her up here to keep her safe. She glanced next to her, and was relieved to see String's handsome face looking at her with concern and love. "It's...okay, Hawke. I'm okay."

He took her face in his hands, and kissed her gently. "No, you're not. I heard you screaming again. Cait, we've got to do something about this. You can't take this much longer. You haven't slept a full night in weeks."

"I know, String. I'm scared. Really scared. What are we going to do?"

He pulled her to him, sighing heavily. "I don't know, baby. I just don't know." He caught himself – he hadn't used that word since Gabrielle. Well, I said I was letting go of the past.

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"Look, Dom. All I'm saying is she's scared. Terrified, actually. She's convinced herself that I'm in love with Angelica, and not her." Hawke turned to look at his friend in Airwolf's Electronic Data Command Center as the sleek black helicopter screamed over the California desert. "Anything?"

"We're receiving data from the FIRM computers. Got it. Angelica's got a new stronghold – The Spahn Ranch. Remember reading about that place?"

Hawke did remember – Spahn Ranch, the home of the infamous Manson family. It fits, Hawke mused grimly, she's as crazy as Charlie ever was. Aloud, he said, "Yeah. Helter Skelter, huh?"

"Yeah, Helter Skelter." Dom sighed, guessing what String's next words would be. "Dom. Cait and I have to do this alone."

"I don't like it, String. I understand, but I don't like it."

"You don't have to like it. Remember what she said?"

"Yeah. Just...be careful. Both of you."

"We will, Dom."

"Hey, where is Cait, anyway?"

"Still at the cabin. We'll head up there when we're finished here." A few seconds later, he queried, "So , are we finished here?"

"Looks that way, String. Our computers have got all the data we need. You sure you don't want me to come along for backup?"

"Not this time, Dominic. Please."

"Okay. But, promise me we'll all meet at the cabin after this is over, and you can tell me all about it over dinner."

"That's a promise, Dom. That's a promise. Now, let's go home." Airwolf turned, and with a shriek of turbos, headed back to the Lair to prepare for a confrontation that neither man wanted, but both knew had to occur, for all their sakes.