Love and War

A/N: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter 4

"Something's not right here, sir" Marella said as she handed her boss, Archangel, the file on Jack Haynes. She had spent the last several hours running Haynes through every computer base she could think of per the request of Stringfellow Hawke.

"Why? Did you find something, Marella?" Michael asked as he flipped open the thin file and began shuffling through the pages.

"No. And that's just it, I found NOTHING. " the dark haired woman said as she perched on the corner of Archangel's desk.

"I don't understand," Michael said as he looked up at his assistant with a quizzical look.

"Let me explain. According to our records, Jack Haynes is a 22 year career military man. He spent four of those years in-country in Vietnam as a chopper pilot. However, his record is spotless…no reprimands, no injuries, no pass-overs for promotion, nothing. On the other hand, there aren't any real recommendations, commendations or honors either. Sure he moved up in rank and retired as a lieutenant-colonel but it was almost as if each promotion was just a given because he'd served his time and nothing more.

As for his personal life, he's never been married, there's no mention of children or even any significant others, he's never had so much as a speeding or parking ticket and he's never been involved in anything that would raise a red flag in any way, " Marella finished.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Michael asked. "I'm not sure I know what's bothering you, Marella. Just spit it out."

"Sir, Jack Haynes is 41 years old. He spent four years fighting a war and his whole adult life in the military. I'm sorry, sir, but I don't know anyone whose life is that vanilla, so to speak, after having those life experiences. Heck, even Dominic Santini wouldn't come out that squeaky clean in one of our background checks. I just don't buy it," Marella said as she picked up the meager folder. "I mean look at this file. I've run every type of background check I know, including a few programs I developed myself, and there's what, maybe 10 pages in this dossier? "

"I see what you mean," Archangel agreed. "You think someone has sanitized Haynes' file?"

"I'd bet on it, sir." Marella said as she nodded her head. "What really troubles me is that whoever did this must have connections very high up. I could understand one or two computer bases being cleaned but not all of them. Whoever did this has access to all sorts of highly classified information and there's only a handful of people I know that could pull it off."

"I don't think I like where this is headed, Marella," Michael said as he stood and walked over to the window behind his desk that overlooked the grounds of The Firm. "I know I don't want to hear this, but I assume you have a theory on whom this person might be?"

"Not specifically, sir but my guess is that whoever Jack Haynes has protecting him, it's most likely someone connected with The Firm. I'm not sure what other agency would have access to all of these files." Marella said as she pushed herself off of the corner of the desk and went to stand beside her boss.

"Damn!" Michael exclaimed as he pounded his cane on the floor for emphasis. "What the hell has Hawke gotten himself involved in? If he's working against someone who's actually on payroll for The Firm, this could get ugly." Adjusting his glasses, Michael turned to his assistant. "Keep on it, Marella. Hawke said he'll call me tomorrow to get any information. In the meantime, I want you to keep digging and see if you can figure out what this Haynes is hiding or who's behind the sterilization of the files."

"Yes, sir," she answered as she turned towards the door to leave.

"And Marella, be careful. I don't want anyone finding out what we're doing until we know who we're dealing with."

With a curt nod, Marella was out the door, headed back to her computers.

AWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAW

The rest of the weekend at Hawke's cabin had proved to be uneventful. Cait and Jack spent a lot of time hiking and exploring while Dom and String spent most of their time on the lake or cutting firewood. Hawke, while not uncivil, didn't seem to have much to say and Dom didn't push the subject of Cait with the younger man. Dom knew that when he was ready, String would talk but not before. Cait somewhat noticed String's silence too but was also used to Hawke's periods of unexplained introspection and brooding and just chalked it up as such.

Hawke was still wary and suspicious of Jack Haynes but had had to admit that there really was no reason to be. Cait seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself with him and from what String could tell there had been no actions on the part of Jack to think he had anything but the best of intentions.

"Then why can't you get rid of this feeling in your gut that something's just not right?" String thought to himself as he watched Cait and Jack cleaning the latest batch of fish in the kitchen. "What are you really after Haynes?"

"Hey, Hawke!" Jack called out, breaking String out of his thoughts. "Remember that time in Nam when we were on leave and went to Tokyo? Sinjin talked us into going to that little sushi place in the alley and man, was that a mistake!" Jack laughed as he continued to filet the fish in front of him. "Man, Cait, you should have seen us…Me, String and Sinjin…we were all greener than our uniforms and were sick for days! Sure wasn't funny then but looking back now, we must have been one sorry sight!"

"Yeah, I remember." Hawke said as he took a seat on one of the counter stools across from the kitchen. "Worst R&R ever. Hey, Jack…we've talked quite a bit about the war over the last couple of days, but you haven't told me much about what you've been doing since." String finally realized part of what had been bothering him. Haynes had pretty much side-stepped any questions about his life since Vietnam. Other than to say he was retired from the military, String knew practically nothing about what Haynes had been up to since.

"No?, " Jack said as he wiped his hands on a dish towel. "Well I guess there's not much to tell. I put in 22 years, retired as a Lieutenant-Colonel from the Army about two months ago and here I am."

"So where do you plan on going from here?" String asked. "Looking to fly again? Working somewhere in the private sector? "

"Oh, I don't know. Haven't thought about it much, I guess," Jack answered rather evasively. Turning to Cait, he slid his arm around her waist. "Right now, I'm a little more interested in what this lady right here has in mind. Hoping she won't mind if I decide to stick around for at least a little while longer."

"I think I like that idea, Jack," Caitlin said as she smiled back at him. "Now if you two will excuse me, I smell like fish and I'm going to take a shower." String stood and walked over to stoke the coals in the fire as Caitlin headed up the stairs to the loft.

"So what about you, Hawke?" Jack asked as he came over and sat on the couch across from the fire. "I mean I know you're running stunts and working for Santini, but what's up with your life? Anything exciting?"

"Flying movie stunts not exciting enough for you, Jack?" Hawke asked.

"Yeah, of course, String. To be honest, though, I had heard some rumors from some of the chopper pilots on base before I retired. Guess I was wondering if they were true."

"What kind of rumors?" Hawke asked as he cocked an eyebrow. "Okay, here it comes, " Hawke thought as he waited for Jack to continue.

"Oh, just crazy stuff, Hawke. Things about some kind of monster black helicopter with mach capabilities and how they had a pilot who flew on secret missions for the government. Your name was among the short list they always gave of pilots flying that machine. I never really believed any of it but thought I might as well ask since I have you right here. At least when you tell me I'm crazy I can tell those guys that I heard it straight from the horse's mouth, right?"

"Yeah, right" Hawke said as he studied the man seated before him. "He's good, I'll have to give him that. Paitently waited all weekend before bringing it up so as not to seem too eager and even now claiming he doesn't believe it."

"So, it is just crazy talk, right? " Jack prodded when Hawke didn't provide any explanations. "I mean I will tell you I heard something about a year or more ago where there was some type of prototype machine blown up by Qadaffi over in Libya. But then that may have been rumors, too. Probably where the stories all began. "

"Sounds like it to me, Jack. I mean mach speed in a helicopter? Seriously?"

"Yeah, you're probably right." Jack agreed. "It's a shame, though, isn't it? A machine like that…it sure would be something to see. "

"Yeah, I bet it would." Hawke said.

"And if anyone could fly it, I bet you could String. You always were a better pilot than the rest of us combined. Natural-born ability is what Sinjin used to call it."

"Yeah, well, I can't fly what doesn't exist." Hawke said matter of factly.

"Nope, guess not. " Jack concurred as he stood from his seat on the couch. "Well, I think I'll go and see what Dom's into down by the pier."

"Jack, wait a minute," Hawke said as he listened to make sure that the water in the shower upstairs was still running. "Before you go out there…I just want to talk to you about Caitlin for a minute."

"Great girl." Jack said.

"Yeah, Jack, she is and I don't want to see her hurt…in any way." Hawke said with an icy blue steel glare at the man that now stood across from him.

"Hawke, what are you insinuating? I asked you from the get-go if there was something going on between you two and you said no. I don't think I've done anything to make you or anyone else think that I'm out to hurt her…so what's up?"

"I don't know, Jack. I hope nothing's up but just in case, I'm letting you know right now that she's special and if I find out you've done anything to hurt her in any way, you'll regret it. Got it?"

"Does she know that you've become her self-appointed protector, Hawke?" Jack asked with irritation. "You told me the other night that she was a big girl that could make her own decisions. Maybe you should listen to your own words and then put a little trust in her. I'm sure she wouldn't be very happy to know that you're watching over her personal life with such zeal."

"He's right!" Both Jack and Hawke glanced up to see Caitlin looking down on them from the loft. Caitlin quickly tied the belt on the robe she had put on after getting out of the shower and came down the stairs. Approaching the two men, Cait turned to Jack first. "Jack, would you mind? I think I need a minute alone with Hawke."

"Nope, I'll leave you two alone. I was just headed out anyways." Stopping at the door, Jack turned back. "Hawke, just so you know, I'd never hurt her but I really don't appreciate being threatened." With that statement, Haynes headed out the door leaving Caitlin and Hawke alone in the living room.

"Hawke, what in the world did you think you were doing?" Caitlin asked.

"Look, Cait, you hardly know this guy and I haven't seen him since the war. He was a good guy then but a lot can happen in 12 years. And I've got a funny feeling about him."

"A funny feeling? What the hell does that mean, Hawke? Do you have proof or anything concrete that says he's out to hurt to me? Dammit, Hawke, do you have so little respect for my judgment that you have to butt into my personal life and play white knight to save me because you don't think I can take care of myself or make my own decisions?"

"Caitlin, you know that's not true." Hawke said, his heart aching as he saw a tear fall down Caitlin's cheek.

"No, Hawke, I don't!" Caitlin said with more anger than she had intended. Taking a step back, she tried to calm herself with a deep breath before continuing. "Look, Hawke, I appreciate what you think you're doing…I really do but it's not your place to tell me who I should and shouldn't see. You are not my father, you're not my big brother and you're not my boyfriend. "

The last statement hit Hawke hard. She was right…he wasn't her boyfriend and it was no one's fault but his own. Dom was right too, Hawke had been in love with Caitlin for a long time and it hurt like hell to see her with someone else. Maybe it was him that wasn't thinking clearly. Could it just be jealousy that was making him suspicious of Jack? He really didn't want to believe that, but until he had something concrete, he knew he would have to back off. He just hoped that Archangel and Marella would be able to come up with something.

"Okay, okay, Caitlin. I'm sorry." he said as he reached out to take her arm. "It's just that so much has happened since we brought you into the Airwolf crew and I don't want to take any chances . You and Dom are all I've got…you know? I guess sometimes I over react."

Softening her gaze, Caitlin allowed String to pull her into a hug. "I know, Hawke. Just let me handle my own personal life, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Hawke answered half-heartedly as he held Caitlin in his arms, breathing in the scent of her freshly shampooed hair. "At least until I can find out what the hell Jack is really up to…." He added to himself.

TBC…..