Chapter 1
Sam wondered what all the fuss was about. She received an invitation from an old family friend, Michael Coldsmith-Briggs the Third. The former deputy of the CIA had requested she meet him in an old military airfield known as the "Bone Yard" for it was final resting place for old military aircraft.
Sam invited Janet Frasier to go to the Bone Yard with her since both were asked to use some of their vacation time. The pair wore civilian jeans and light colored tank tops with sunglasses for the desert heat was intense. They rode in a rented rag-top jeep as the crossed the aired dry desert of Nevada.
Janet looked over to Sam as they headed south, "This better be worth all this trouble."
Sam shrugged, "Michael said it was worth it."
Janet asked, "Who is Michael anyways?"
"He's an old friend," she then added, "He used to be the deputy director of the CIA during the Cold War."
Janet asked, "He was CIA?"
Sam nodded, "He calls it the 'firm' though."
"You got to be kidding me," huffed Janet.
"You wanna know his old code name?" asked Sam amused.
Janet arched her eyebrow curiously, "What was his old code name?"
"Archangel," she informed.
Janet rolled her eyes, "Oh dear god." She then huffed, "You should have brought Colonel O'Neill with you. He would be interested in this."
She shrugged, "I think Teal'c would be more interested to be honest. It's aircraft after all."
"True," agreed Janet.
The jeep pulled into the complex and started down the rows of old aircraft until them came to the spot with a white Cadillac parked by an old helicopter. Sam stopped the jeep.
"There's Michael's car," she told Janet.
"A white Caddy?" asked Janet, jaw dropping.
"You should see his suits," miffed Sam. She turned the Jeep off and dismounted the vehicle.
An old man emerged from the shadows under the carcass of the old bird. He wore a white suite and walked with a cane. He sported a pair of glasses with one lens darkened like an eye patch. His hair was pure white as well as the neatly trimmed mustache.
Janet took one look and sighed, "CIA, huh?"
"Retired," she assured.
"They never retire," snorted Janet. The pair then walked up to Archangel.
"Samantha," he greeted her with an open embrace.
"Michael," she gave him a hug for she knew him most of her life.
Archangel looked at Janet and gave a nod, "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Michael Coldsmith-Briggs the Third."
Janet stuck out her hand, "Janet Frasier."
"It's a pleasure," he greeted with a smooth tone of voice and a gentle handshake.
Janet simply nodded for she did not trust the CIA in any shape or form.
Sam asked, "So, what's this all about?"
Archangel played his cards well; he turned and motioned towards the chopper sitting on the ground next to him, "She's all yours, Samantha."
Sam looked at the old helicopter and then traded glances with Janet who gave a heavy sigh. She wondered if perhaps Michael's age had caught up with him and he lost his mind for behind him was a rundown old helicopter that would require a complete overhaul just to get airborne.
"Um," she lifted an eyebrow, "I don't know what to say."
Archangel informed, "This, my dear was the most advanced piece of military hardware in the world at one point in time. Her name is Airwolf. And she's all yours now."
Sam bit her bottom lip and held her breath for she didn't know how to tell the old man she really didn't want it. It was an old piece of out dated junk.
"Gee, thanks" was all she got out.
Archangel knew Sam could get the old bird going once more. She was his only hope and couldn't let the opportunity go. It was his last chance to make things right.
"Samantha," he stated. "This may look like just an old chopper but it is so much more. Men died because of this chopper. It was invented by Dr. Moffett…"
Sam interrupted, "Dr. Charles Henry Moffett?" The name had peaked her interest.
"Indeed," he confirmed.
Janet asked, "Who was Dr. Moffett?"
"A genius inventor from the Cold War," informed Sam. She looked at the old defunct bird, "What did he invent out of a helicopter?"
Archangel replied, "Airwolf wasn't just a helicopter. She was a helicopter and a jet-hybrid with a full functional weapons platform and a computer system that even you would find impressive. I have the classified files and since you have security clearance, I will send them too you. So, you can appreciate what was accomplished back then. I'm hoping to sponsor you, Samantha."
"Sponsor me?" she asked.
"I would like you to get Airwolf flying again. Some of it will be declassified and I would like to sponsor you as her pilot in air shows…To educate the world on the old bird." Of course his excuse was a lie but neither Sam nor Janet would have believed his real intention.
Sam asked, "You want me to do what?"
Archangel stated, "Get her flying and take her on tours at air shows. It about time people found out what so many men and women died for so long ago. I'm an old man, Samantha. There have been so many who have lost so much. You give me knew hope…To not allow their sacrifice to be in vain. The old bird is no longer of any value to the military. But she brings back memories for me and many others. What do you say? I will be funding the whole restoration processes personally."
"It's gonna take a lot of money," she warned.
"I am fully prepared to pay whatever it takes," he informed. "If anyone can return Airwolf to her former glory it's you, Samantha."
Janet asked, "So, you want Sam to restore an old helicopter and fly it around at air shows?"
"Yes," he nodded most enthused.
Sam regrettably gave a nod, "I suppose."
"You won't regret this," he assured.
Sam looked over at Janet who crossed her arms and shook her head. She couldn't believe her friend was being suckered into restoring a defunct helicopter but there it was before her.
Sam sucked in a deep breath and grinned at Archangel, "I would be honored too."
Later
The pair arrived back in Colorado after their time in Nevada. Janet looked over at Sam who drove her car back after leaving the airport.
"Why did you agree to do that?" Janet finally asked rubbing her head. She had kept her opinion to herself the entire time.
"I know," sighed Sam. "It's an old piece of junk but I've known Michael since I was a teenager and he is an old friend. He's getting up in age, he's eighty years old. He's not gonna be around much longer and I just didn't want to disappoint him in his golden years."
"So, you're gonna restore that old chopper?" asked Janet.
She nodded, "Yes, I'm gonna make it into a museum piece for Michael. He gave me some of the files to read and the name of the pilots. There were two pilots and they were brothers. One is dead but the first pilot is still alive and I have his address to interview him. I thought it would be good to speak to him to get an idea of what this Airwolf project was all about."
"What's his name?" asked Janet.
"Stringfellow Hawke," replied Sam. "His brother, Saint John Hawke was the other pilot but he died in nineteen ninety-five of cancer."
"Stringfellow?" asked Janet, "Kind of an odd name."
Sam shrugged, "I suppose. He was a Vietnam Dust Off pilot. His brother was a POW."
"Medi-vac chopper pilot?" clarified Janet.
"Yup," nodded Sam.
"Okay," she sighed. "I guess you're doing this. You're gonna need help. I volunteer."
"Thank you," she replied. "I am gonna need all the help I can get. I don't think the Colonel will be willing to do this. It's not up Daniel's field either. Teal'c might help with some of the restoration work. Anyone else you can think of that would be interested in this little side project of ours?"
"How about General Hammond?" she asked. "He was around during Vietnam."
"General Hammond is possibility," she agreed.
Janet wondered, "What about the pilot, Stringfellow Hawke? You think he might be willing to get it going again?"
"Even if he wanted too he wouldn't be able," replied Sam. "He's in a home for vets. He's not healthy at all from what I read."
"That's a shame," she sighed.
Sam pulled into the local retirement home for vets and parked the car.
Janet asked surprised, "He lives in Colorado Springs?"
"Michael had him moved her for better care," replied Sam. "He just lost part of his right leg to an infection. He also has a broken neck. He's not a paraplegic but very limited in movement."
"He suffered all that flying Airwolf?" asked Janet concerned.
Sam shook her head, "No, according to the file he suffered a wound to his leg when they rescued his brother. He got hooked on pain killers and it went downhill for him from there. He was then in two car accidents and one broke his neck. He's battling addiction to pain killers and alcohol."
Janet let out a sigh, "Addiction to pain killers happens for more in the military then we would like to believe…Poor guy."
They walked into the nursing home and registered. A nurse led them to a room to visit Hawke. Sam and Janet both stood in the doorway. The room looked clean and neat, his bed made and a bathroom attached but the room was bare of anything. No flowers, no cards, nothing but the basic necessities. In the corner of the room sat an old man in a chair. His right leg amputated below the knee. His hair was long and parted down the middle but remarkably had little gray. He was hunched over and face was puffy and full of sorrow.
Sam asked, "Mr. Hawke?"
Hawke looked up from his chair at the two women standing before him. He was sober but lost much due to the drug addiction and couldn't recall many memories. Perhaps, it for the better for what did recall pained him.
"Yes," his voice was raspy.
"I'm Major Carter and this is Dr. Frasier," she stated. "We are both with the Air force and I was wondering if I could ask you some questions."
"What's this about?" wondered Hawke for he only got one visitor and that was Archangel.
Sam led Janet into the room. She pointed to the folding seats hung on the wall.
"May I?" asked Sam.
Hawke gave a nod, "Help yourself."
Sam and Janet both took a seat and positioned themselves before Hawke.
"Mr. Hawke," started Sam. "I have recently been tasked with an old project, Airwolf. I was wondering if you could tell me anything about it since you were the pilot."
Hawke looked at her, "Did Michael send you here?"
Sam asked, "You know Michael?"
"Archangel? Yeah, I know Archangel," he admitted. "What's the old dog up too?"
"Well," explained Sam. "He's sponsoring me to rebuild and fly Airwolf in air shows as an educational project."
"No he's not," laughed Hawke.
Sam bit her lip, "Yes, he is. Airwolf has been given to me to rebuild and part of the files will be declassified. I will be flying her to air shows."
Hawke looked at Sam and asked, "And he told you that?"
Sam nodded, "He did."
"He's up to something," assured Hawke.
"He's an old man," retorted Sam.
Hawke grinned, "He's a sneaky old man."
Janet sat back amused and chirped, "All CIA is sneaky."
Sam tried to keep the conversation on topic, "What can you tell me about Airwolf?"
Hawke informed, "She's real touchy on the yolk. Don't force her. And you will need to get the timing down to go from normal flight to boost engines. If your speed drops you won't recover her. And whatever you do…Don't let the 'firm' talk you into doing some funny stuff with it. And above all, don't give it back to them once you got it."
Sam closed her eyes for a moment for he sounded like a crazed old man; she sighed, "I won't."
"Good," he then looked back out the window at a bird of prey sitting in a tree. He motioned towards it, "See that?"
Sam and Janet both looked out and nodded.
"It's a Cooper's hawk," he informed. "It captures its prey and squeezes it to kill it."
Janet asked, "I take it you're an avid bird watcher?"
"I am," he shrugged. "Just be careful…The 'firm' does the same thing."
Janet and Sam looked at one another and then back at Hawke.
Sam assured, "We will be careful, Mr. Hawke."
Hawke stared back out the window. He missed his cabin and friends. He missed his brother and Dom. He wondered why he was still alive for the infection that took his leg nearly killed him.
Janet added, "Thank you for time, Mr. Hawke."
He ignored them wanting to be left alone.
They felt uneasy and understood he just wanted to be left in peace. Thus they quickly left his room wondering just what had happened to the man to leave him in such disarray. He was the same age as Colonel O'Neill but looked much older. It was heartbreaking to see a soul just sit and wait to die but that was exactly what Stringfellow Hawke was doing.
Janet sighed, "Well, that was sad."
"Very depressing," agreed Sam, "especially if you had seen his file." She opened her purse and removed an old folded file folder. She opened it and retrieved Hawke's picture from when he flew Airwolf. "This was him in nineteen eighty-two."
Janet took the photo and gasped, "Wow! That was him?"
Sam nodded, "Yes that was him."
"That is depressing," she agreed. "He was a good looking guy."
"He was," Sam agreed.
Janet handed her back the photo, "Let's go over all those files and figure out happened. Maybe we can get him the help he needs. That poor man is just waiting to die here."
"I know," Sam, gulped. She knew Hawke was not in good shape physically but never dreamed he would be so alone and so depressed. Maybe getting Airwolf would help lift the old pilot's spirits? Maybe that's why Archangel brought them together? Perhaps, he was just as sneaky but in a good way.