To Save a Hawke, Chap. 4
Disclaimer—Still don't own 'em.
Airwolf
"How's it coming, Dom?" Hawke asked. He'd gotten worried when Chad noticed Caitlin's pin, and was relieved when Caitlin convinced Chad that it had been a gift. And especially that it was a gift from me, Hawke said to himself, grateful Caitlin had been able to think that lie up so quickly.
"Just about—got it!" Dom exulted. "The mansion's due east of here, about an hour-and-a-half with full turbos." Even though he couldn't see String's face, Dom imagined String was grinning at the prospect of getting Caitlin back safe. And getting some payback for what Ashburne did. Both to her, and to me, String said to himself as his lip started to throb where Chad had punched him.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Hawke asked as he throttled Airwolf up and took her into the sky. "Turbos, Dom!"
"Turbos!" Dom echoed, throwing the lever hard against the stops. A few seconds later, he felt the powerful turbines engage as Airwolf rocketed towards her target.
Chad's mansion
"And this will be your—I mean—our room, Caitlin my dear," Chad said, ushering her into a grand master bedroom suite. Caitlin looked around at the large bed, the ornate draperies and furniture, and was quite understandably amazed.
"It's—it's beautiful, Chad," she said, mesmerized by everything she saw in front of her.
"It's all for you, Caitlin. For us, actually. Spared no expense," he replied, smiling as he opened one side of the master closet door. "And in here, all the clothing you'll ever need—and, all in your sizes, my darling." Caitlin swallowed her revulsion again as she stepped into the large closet and glanced at the tags on some of the gowns there—Christian Dior, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein—and a few names I don't even recognize, Caitlin said to herself, marveling in the beauty of the dresses, blouses, and gowns she saw hanging before her. "And," Chad said, indicating the large chest of drawers, "in here, undergarments, along with jeans, which I know you like to wear every now and then. And, I'm sure you noticed the extensive shoe selection." Caitlin had to admit, she'd seen more shoes in the master closet than she'd seen in one place in her life. At least, in one place that wasn't a shoe store, she said to herself.
"You—you really shouldn't have, Chad," Caitlin said, still trying to recover from her shock at the display before her. "You—you know you can't keep me here. I said—I said I'd be your prisoner—or your hostage—whatever you wanted to call it, but there's no way in hell I'd ever marry you. And," she added, "my husband will be coming for me, any minute now."
"I don't think so," Chad replied, reaching for the pin on Caitlin's collar. She stiffened in horror as Chad ripped the pin off her collar, then dropped it on the floor and stomped it flat.
"What did you do that for?" Caitlin demanded. "That pin was a gift from my husband!" She wanted to punch Chad, but with her hands still tied behind her back, that was impossible.
"Caitlin, let's cut the crap, okay?" Chad demanded, the hostility in his voice growing. "You really didn't think I believed that 'that was a gift from my husband' line, did you? Just how stupid do you think I am?"
You really don't want me to answer that, do you, Ashburne? Caitlin said to herself as she tried to work her hands free. But the ropes refused to budge, cutting deeper into her flesh the harder she tried to break free.
"I know that pin had some kind of tracking device," Chad snapped as he moved closer to Caitlin. "And I know your friends are coming here, but they'll never make it in time." Stringfellow Hawke is so much more than just my 'friend,' you bastard, Caitlin said to herself. He's ten times the man that you could ever hope to be! And he's the only man I'll ever call my husband! Chad quickly pulled a walkie-talkie off a hook on the wall and spoke into it, "Attention. Prepare for intruders, most likely by air. Make all defensive equipment ready." Caitlin stifled a shudder at Chad's words. But I'm not too worried, Caitlin said to herself. Whatever's out there, it's no match for Airwolf, especially with String at the controls. And I should know, she said to herself, remembering how many times String and Airwolf had saved her life. And they'll save me again, Caitlin added to herself, stifling a smirk. 'Cause I know I kept him talking for at least an hour—and according to Michael, that's all the time String needed to get a fix on where I am. Airwolf oughta be comin' any second now.
"You see, Caitlin," Chad said as he stepped forward and grabbed Caitlin's arms, forcing her back towards the bed, "I've prepared for everything. This mansion is ringed with heavy defensive equipment, along with helicopters armed with guns and rockets. You'll be a widow within the hour, I promise you—and then we'll be married! But in the meantime," he said, glancing appreciatively and hungrily at Caitlin's body, "I may just take a bit of a sample before the wedding."
Like hell you will! Caitlin said to herself. You may have left my hands tied, but you forgot about my feet, you dumbass! She quickly brought a leg up, intending to knee Chad in the groin again, but he caught her leg just before it connected, causing Caitlin to fall helplessly onto the bed. "Nice try, Caitlin! But I've been studying martial arts since our last meeting. Got my black belt just last year, as a matter of fact." He quickly positioned himself on top of her on the bed, and the look in his eyes was that of a madman. Oh, my God, String, hurry! Please, hurry! Caitlin prayed that String could hear her thoughts, as he'd seemed to be able to do before when she was in danger. 'Cause I'm definitely in real danger now, Caitlin said to herself as she tried to keep Chad off her, but with her hands tied behind her back, she was all but defenseless against him. Oh, my God! He's going to rape me! Caitlin said to herself, horrified.
Airwolf
Oh, my God, String, hurry! Please, hurry! Caitlin's voice sounded in String's head, and she sounded scared to death. "Dom, I need more speed! Cait's in trouble!"
"String, I'm givin' her everything she's got, unless I remove the safety lid!" Dom shouted back. "You should be seein' the mansion any second now!"
"Got it, Dom!" String said, relieved. "We'll set her down in that clearing"—Hawke suddenly felt Airwolf rocked by a burst of machine gun fire from somewhere on the ground.
"Triple-A battery, nine o'clock!" Dom shouted. String spun Airwolf around and destroyed the gun with a burst from Airwolf's 30mm chain guns.
"What next?" String demanded angrily.
"Good question, kid," Dom said. "Never mind, 'cause I got the answer right now. Looks like we've got rockets comin' in fast, six o'clock!"
"Sunburst, now!" Dom punched the button to release two of the powerful decoys, and the rockets trailing them veered away, detonating harmlessly behind them.
"Choppers, String! Two o'clock!"
"Hellfire!"
"Hellfire," Dom echoed, selecting the correct button. String lowered the targeting visor on his helmet and launched two Hellfires at the helicopters, destroying them.
"Another ground rocket, three o'clock!" Dom said, punching out another Sunburst before String asked for it. A moment later, Dom shouted, "String! It didn't take that Sunburst! It's a sniffer!"
String didn't say a word, simply spinning Airwolf around and destroying the missile with one of his Hellfires.
"Let's set 'er down and go get our girl back," Dom said angrily. String turned slightly in his seat, nodded at Dom, and quickly landed Airwolf in the clearing about a quarter-mile away from the mansion. Hawke and Dom quickly covered Airwolf with a camouflage net and secured her electronically, then drew their service weapons and headed towards the house.
Getting inside was easier than they thought—the guards were apparently more concerned with the damage Airwolf's rockets had caused, but now String and Dom had no idea where to look for Cait. Almost as if in answer to their unspoken question, they heard Caitlin's voice. "STRING! I'M UP HERE! HELP ME! FOR GOD'S SAKE, STRING, HELP ME!" The tone of her voice left no doubt in String's mind of the danger that Caitlin was in. I told you, Ashburne, if you lay one finger on my wife, I'll tear you limb from limb! Hawke said to himself angrily.
"This way, Dom!" String yelled, taking off for the staircase, Dom right at his heels.
TBC
