The clearing in front of the cabin was teeming with activity when Hawke brought Airwolf into land. His heart was in his throat as he viewed the scores of people Marella had brought in to investigate. Michael had contacted her when they hadn't been able to raise Caitlin on the phone and Marella had personally flown to the cabin to check on his family only to find it empty.

Hawke's jaw tightened. Who the hell were all these people? And what the hell were they doing to find Caitlin and the kids?

Saint John reached over and touched his arm. 'Come on.'

Hawke pushed open Airwolf's door and got out.

Marella hurried over; her white flight suit bright under the artificial lights that had been set up to illuminate the area. 'Hawke.'

Michael placed a comforting hand on Hawke's shoulder and nodded at her encouragingly. 'What's the news?'

'There's a shotgun missing and we've found evidence of tracks leading into the hills.' Marella said. 'We think it's likely that either all of them or at least your Mom and the kids headed away from the cabin possibly to hide from a potential threat.'

Hawke's eyes sharpened as he considered her words. 'The old viewing hide.' He looked at Saint John. 'That's where they would have gone.'

Saint John nodded. 'We can check it out in Airwolf.'

'I'll stay here.' Michael said. 'You'll need the room.'

Hawke didn't bother to waste time agreeing, he immediately turned for the chopper.

'Hawke.' Marella said quickly. 'There's a possibility Caitlin's not with them.' Her dark eyes glittered with half-hidden fear. 'We found her handgun on the bar.'

He stiffened but his only response was to yank open Airwolf's door and climb aboard.

Saint John stayed in the counter-specialist chair and Hawke took her back up swiftly. The viewing hide was less than a five minute flight from the cabin. As soon as they were airborne, Hawke ordered Airwolf to begin scanning.

'She's picking up four life signs at the hide.' Saint John said. 'Three human and a dog.'

Hawke didn't comment. He set down; pushing through the canopy of trees to lower Airwolf to the ground. They both got out and ran for the hide.

His mother stepped out as they ran up; Amelia and Nicky not too far behind her. Hawke dropped to the ground and hugged Amelia to him as she threw herself at him, crying. Nicky hovered but moved forward when Hawke gestured for his son to join them. Hawke was aware of Saint John, reassuring their mother; comforting her.

Bit jumped around, barking enthusiastically.

Hawke eased back. 'Let's get you all into Airwolf and back to the cabin.'

Jane waited until the kids and Bit were secure with Saint John in the back before she turned to Hawke as she made to get into the passenger seat. 'String, Caitlin...she said she would follow us.'

'We'll check the trail.' He said gruffly.

But as they made a second sweep of the area, there was nothing but wildlife. Hawke landed Airwolf again outside the cabin and they disembarked quickly. He noticed Michael had evidently ordered the circus packed up as it looked like the investigatory team were making preparations to leave. Hawke ushered his family into the warmth of their home and found only Michael and Marella by the bar, on the phone.

Hawke turned to his mother, all too aware of the wide-eyed curiosity and fear in his children's faces. 'Can you get the kids sorted for bed, Mom?'

'Sure.' Jane said briskly. She motioned for both of them to precede her into the back of the cabin and Hawke waited until the connecting door was shut before he turned his attention to Michael.

'Understood.' Michael said. He dropped the receiver back into the briefcase and turned to Hawke. 'We have satellite imagery confirming that an unknown helicopter on an unlogged flight plan landed here and took off within the last three hours.'

'Damn it. He has her, doesn't he?' Hawke stated, rubbing a hand through his hair.

'We don't know for certain,' Marella began, her voice trailing away at his hard gaze, 'but it looks that way.'

Hawke's eyes caught on the handgun Caitlin had left behind. She wouldn't have fought; not with the baby. He whirled away and paced back to the fire.

'Are there any leads on where this guy might have taken her?' Saint John asked when Hawke remained silent.

'Not yet.' Marella said. 'We're pulling his life and Lydia's apart right now.'

'They have to have a base somewhere in the area.' Saint John said bluntly, reminding Hawke that his brother used to be a good agent; used to do the same work of investigating and tracking down the bad guys that Hawke had never left behind.

'Agreed.' Michael smoothed his moustache. 'And that property has to have a helicopter.' He turned back to his wife. 'Marella...'

'Satellite images of helicopters in remote locations in the immediate area.' She said. 'On it.' She picked up the phone as Michael abandoned the bar and walked over to the fire to join Hawke.

Saint John followed him.

'He's probably going to contact you anyway.' Michael said, trying to console Hawke.

'Because I'm the target.' Hawke said bitterly.

'The question is why.' Michael added.

'What the hell does that matter?' Hawke bit out. He looked at a wedding snap of him and Caitlin they kept on the mantelpiece, an informal shot of the two of them smiling, about to embrace a beaming Dom. He'd lost Dom: he couldn't lose Caitlin.

His mother came back out from settling the kids and walked over to hug Hawke without ceremony. He leaned into her, accepting the maternal comfort; needing it. She pulled away after a moment.

'They're in bed but they're asking for you.' Jane said. 'They have questions about what's happened to Caitlin.'

Hawke wondered what he could say to them; how much to tell them. He squeezed his mother's hand and let go.

He checked on Amelia first. She was holding on tightly to the bear that Saint John had bought her as a baby and he could see the traces of tears on her cheeks. He scooped her up from her bed with its princess pink blanket and hugged her as she cried again.

'I want Mommy!'

'I know, sweetheart.' Hawke held her tightly. 'I want her too.'

'Did she get kidnapped?' Amelia asked with the bluntness of a child.

'Yes.' Hawke admitted, stroking her hair away from her face – so like Caitlin's – and brushing the tears away. 'But we're going to get her back.' He held her for a while longer until he heard her sobs turn first into hiccups and then fade away. He tucked her back into the bed. He left the door open and her lamp on. She would wake up again; she was too upset to sleep through.

He headed to Nicky's room, tapped on the door and went inside. His son sat on the floor at the end of the bed, Bit beside him trying to give him doggy comfort.

Hawke lowered himself to sit beside them.

Nicky couldn't look at him and Hawke wondered if his son blamed him for Caitlin's abduction. God knew he blamed himself.

'It's my fault!' Nicky blurted the words out in a rush so fast that Hawke almost missed them.

He stared at his son.

'You think so too!' Nicky mumbled, tears springing into his eyes.

'No!' Hawke reached for his son and pulled him unprotesting into his arms. Nicky clung to him and Hawke could feel the hot splash of tears against his neck where his son buried his face against him. 'This is not your fault.'

'I should have protected Mom.' Nicky said wretchedly. 'I should have stayed with her.'

'And then who would have looked out for Grandma and Amelia?' Hawke countered. 'You did exactly what your Mom told you to do, Nicky.' He grasped his son's shoulders and pushed away enough to look into his eyes. 'Not your fault.'

Nicky looked down and Hawke put a finger under his chin and made him look at him again.

'Hey,' Hawke insisted, 'don't blame yourself; don't.' He was unaware of how unguarded his own blue eyes were; how pained. 'I don't want you to make the same mistake I did when I lost the people I loved.'

Nicky blinked back his tears. 'Is that why you pushed people away in the past?'

'Yes.' Hawke confessed roughly. 'I don't want you doing the same.' He looked at Nicky solemnly. 'The only person to blame for your Mom's abduction is the guy who took her and this isn't over.' His jaw firmed; steel entering his gaze. 'We're going to get her back.'

'Promise?' Nicky demanded, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.

'Promise.' He didn't know how he was going to keep his promise but he knew it was a promise he intended to keep.

Nicky moved back and Hawke nudged his arm.

'Come on; bed.'

He watched as his son climbed under the covers and he let Bit jump up and flop beside Nicky; once wouldn't hurt. He ruffled Nicky's head and switched the light off.

He wandered back into the living area and sat down heavily in a chair. He lowered his head into his hands. Where the hell was Caitlin? Where would Henman have taken her? A memory filtered back into Hawke's mind...

Polly waved goodbye to Lydia and turned to hug Hawke's arm as they got in the Santini Air jeep. 'Thank you.'

'What for?' Hawke asked.

'For rescuing me.' Polly said. She smiled up at him brightly. 'I love Lydia but if I had to listen to another hour of how she was dreading moving to her new Dad's farm, I think I would have screamed.'

She reached over and kissed him. Hawke gunned the engine and drove away...

'A farm.' Hawke said out loud.

'What?' Michael asked, looking up from the reports he was reading at the bar.

'Look for a farm owned by Henman's father.' Hawke said, getting to his feet and pacing over to his friend. He rested his hands on the smooth polished wood. 'I think that's where Henman is.'

'Make the call and get the location.' Michael said to Marella. He turned back to Hawke. 'We should get airborne.'

'I'm coming with you.' Saint John said.

Hawke shook his head. 'I need you and Marella to stay here. Look after the kids and Mom. If Henman is playing some kind of double bluff and circles back here...'

Saint John gave a huff of annoyance but nodded.

Hawke led Michael out of the cabin and the two men climbed into Airwolf again.

'You know I don't think I spent this much time in this Airwolf when she was in operation.' Michael commented.

Hawke's lips twitched. 'I never would have let you spend this much time in her.' He turned around and looked at Michael. A lot had changed between them since those days.

Marella ran up and put her head through the passenger door. She reached in and handed Hawke a disc. 'The location of the farm is on the disc. I've contacted Zebra squad to give you back up.'

'Thanks, Marella.' Hawke said gratefully.

'Stay safe.' She cast a look into the back to Michael before she retreated and closed Airwolf's door.

Hawke passed the CD to Michael and hit the start button. Adrenaline flooded through him edged with determination. He knew he was on the right track. Hang on, Cait, Hawke thought fiercely; just hang on.

'Location coordinates set.' Michael agreed.

'Turbos.' Hawke said tightly as he took her up.

'Turbos.'

Airwolf shot forward into the darkness.

o-O-o

Caitlin glanced around the poorly lit barn with a studied eye as Henman tied the ropes tightly around her wrists.

'Just be good and you might get out of this alive.' Henman said with a smirk as he gave the rope another yank.

She didn't believe him. She figured he'd kill her as soon as Hawke showed up.

Henman marched over to Lydia who cowered back against the barn wall and avoided his eyes. 'Keep an eye on her. She escapes and I'll punish you.'

Lydia nodded jerkily. She looked like a broken doll, Caitlin realised. She was beginning to believe Hawke's assessment that Lydia had been bullied by Drew. Henman left them alone and Caitlin tested the ropes that bound her to the chair. They were tight on her wrists. She looked at the woman in front of her tiredly. She wet her dry lips and cleared her throat.

'Lydia,' Caitlin said softly, 'could I have some water?'

Lydia looked at her blankly as though surprised that Caitlin had talked.

'Please.' Caitlin said.

It took a long moment before Lydia reacted. She moved slowly towards the bench at the far side and poured some water into a glass. She returned to Caitlin and held the glass while Caitlin sipped.

'Thank you.'

Lydia looked shocked again and Caitlin wondered if Drew ever thanked her for anything.

'Is this your home?' Caitlin asked gently.

Lydia shook her head. 'Drew's.' She pointed towards the east of the barn. 'His father owns the farm.'

'Is his father here?' Caitlin asked, hoping someone else was around who might be able to help them.

'No.' Lydia gave a brittle laugh. 'Drew killed him.' She said it so matter-of-factly that Caitlin shivered. 'Drew needed the farm.'

'What for?' Caitlin asked.

'To bring them.'

'Who?'

'The Pollys.' Lydia said as though Caitlin should have known.

Caitlin's blood turned cold at the inference.

'He loved her.' Lydia said almost absently. She was rubbing her hands together as though washing them; like MacBeth's wife in the Scottish play – 'Out, out, damn spot!' Caitlin wondered how much blood Lydia thought her hands were steeped in.

Lydia looked at Caitlin suddenly. 'Drew always wanted Polly but she was with Hawke. It was only ever Hawke for her.'

'I know the feeling.' Caitlin said quietly.

'She would have liked you.' Lydia said. 'She was so beautiful; inside and out, you know? She was my friend and he...'

'What did he do?' Caitlin pressed.

Lydia swiped away her tears. 'He played with her car; told her he was fixing it. Hawke was supposed to drive; he always drove but...'

'But he didn't drive that day.' Caitlin murmured.

'Polly was driving and Hawke was in the passenger seat; he got thrown free when it should have been Polly.' Lydia confessed roughly. 'It should have been Polly who lived.'

Caitlin felt tears pricking the back of her own eyes and forced herself to focus. 'You miss her.'

'All the time.' Lydia admitted. 'She was my friend.'

Caitlin inched forward as far as the ropes would allow. 'Lydia, I need your help. You know why Drew's brought me here.'

'Hawke.' Lydia sobbed. 'He's going to kill Hawke.' She glanced at Caitlin and suddenly Caitlin knew her own instincts hadn't been too far off; Lydia loved Hawke. Maybe Lydia's original action in making contact had been prompted by Drew but maybe Hawke's attention in the past few months had made some kind of impression...

'You don't want that to happen, do you?' Caitlin pressed.

Lydia shook her head. 'No choice; there's no choice. I went to warn him but he wasn't there and...' She shook with quiet sobs. 'Drew will punish me.'

Caitlin didn't want to know how Drew would punish the other woman, she had her suspicions, but she needed Lydia's help; needed it desperately. 'You have to set me free, Lydia.' She argued patiently. 'You have to set me free then Hawke won't come; Drew won't kill him.'

'I can't.' Lydia shook her head wildly. 'I can't.'

'Please.' Caitlin said desperately. 'Lydia, I'm pregnant. I can't risk my baby; please.'

Lydia trembled as she wiped the tears away from her eyes. 'Polly would have liked you.' She walked away and Caitlin believed for a long heartbeat that she hadn't gotten through to the other woman. But suddenly Lydia picked something up from the bench; a knife. She made her way back to Caitlin and began to cut through the ropes.

'Thank you.' Caitlin said.

'You can't tell him.' Lydia said. 'He can't know.'

'I won't.' Caitlin promised futilely, knowing Drew would understand what had happened as soon as he realised she was free.

Lydia continued to work on the ropes and Caitlin held her breath. If Drew came back before Lydia was free...

The ropes finally gave way and Caitlin massaged the faint red marks that banded her wrists. A howl broke the silence overhead; Airwolf.

Caitlin looked around the barn and spotted the ladder to the upper landing; a skylight to the roof. She grabbed Lydia's hand. 'Come on.'

They were on the landing when Drew entered.

'Hey!!' He aimed his gun and fired. The shot went wild and Caitlin ducked automatically. She pulled a frozen Lydia towards the skylight.

Drew fired again and the shot landed in the dry hay, setting it alight. The barn was on fire. Caitlin pushed the skylight open and climbed out onto the roof. She reached back for Lydia. 'Come on! Come with me!'

Lydia reached up but a shot sounded loudly and her body jerked, falling sideways out of Caitlin's reach. Caitlin felt her throat close-up with fear as she raised her eyes to look at Drew's deadly expression. He raised the gun again and she moved, throwing herself away from the skylight across the roof as he fired.

Airwolf screamed overhead and Caitlin scrambled up the barn's exterior and waved her arms. The chopper lowered; hovering above the barn to allow Caitlin to climb into the passenger seat.

Hawke looked at her assessingly and she answered his silent question by reaching across and squeezing his arm.

'Let's get out of here.' She said.

'Henman's airborne.' Michael said crisply from the engineer's position. 'I'm reading sidewinders and guns.'

Hawke raised Airwolf just as Henman let loose with a missile. It exploded into the barn which was consumed in flame.

Caitlin spared a thought for Lydia before she focused on Hawke's flying. He was headed away from the farm, gaining altitude. Henman followed him and there was a jolt as the first of the shrapnel from the chain guns hit the side of the chopper. Caitlin flinched even though she knew Airwolf's armour would protect them.

'Sunburst.' Hawke ordered.

Michael confirmed the release of the counter-measure.

'Set her down, Henman!' Hawke ordered. 'You don't have a chance.'

Henman fired another missile. Hawke evaded, sending Airwolf one way then another; the missile flew past into a hillside, exploding in a shower of dirt.

Hawke used the moment of confusion to change positions; he slowed allowing the other chopper to overshoot them.

Henman was in front. He tried losing them but Hawke stuck to his tail, following him through the weaving and ducking motions until they were above open country.

'Red eye.' Hawke said coldly.

'Red eye.' Michael confirmed.

Hawke's thumb pressed down and the missile leaped out from Airwolf's belly into the night.

Henman had no time to respond; no time to avoid it. His chopper exploded as Airwolf screamed her victory into the night sky.

Silence filled the cockpit and Hawke turned anxiously to Caitlin.

She reached across again. 'I'm fine.' She looked at him worriedly. 'Are the kids...'

'They're good.' Hawke assured her. He set Airwolf on autopilot and slid his hand over hers, linking their fingers tightly. 'Let's go home.'