Chapter 2

Armed with civilian clothing and a fake background story, SG-1 and Dr. Janet Frasier found themselves as passengers in a white helicopter, piloted by a woman with light coca skin, wearing a white jumpsuit and sporting larger than life black curly hair. Beside the pilot was the contact, Michael Coldsmith-Briggs the Third, also known as Archangel, who also wore an all white three piece suit and sported glasses with a single darkened lens and a walking cane. The team was shoved in the back of the chopper and sat in the cramped space. They were told they needed to fly all the way up to the mountains to an isolated lake to meet the pilot of Airwolf, a man named Stringfellow Hawke. None were very enthused and began to wonder if perhaps George Hammond didn't understand just how dire the situation was for it seemed to be much of a waste of time.

As the pilot, Marella circled the cabin below Jack spied a man sitting on the end of the dock playing a large cello. He wasn't feeling confident about this pilot who he had never heard of that was supposed to be the best of the best. He watched as the man stood up, gathered his instrument and walked back to the cabin as Marella brought the chopper in for a landing on the dock. The pilot powered the chopper down as they climbed out. The team all traded glances feeling a bit unsure.

Archangel stepped before the team. He was told by Colonel Hammond they were Special Forces and needed assistance in a mission to find an enemy combatant but nothing more. "This way Colonel." he addressed Jack.

Jack walked beside him as the man led them to the cabin. He asked, "This Hawke guy is the best pilot around, huh?"

"He's very good." Archangel informed. "He's the pilot of Airwolf. His co-pilot is a former L.A. Sherriff's chopper pilot, Caitlin O'Shannessy. The flight engineer is a man named Dominic Santini. He was a World War Two fighter Ace."

Jack's ear perked up, "Really!" he glanced back to Sam. "He flew in World War Two." He then added, "He sounds kind of neat."

"He's not doing to bad for his age." he informed. They soon arrived to the front porch and found two men and a woman staring at them suspiciously. Archangel stated, "String, Dom…Caitlin…" he started to introduced them. "This is Colonel O'Neill and his team. They will be working with you and Airwolf."

Jack's eyes landed on the leader. A man of average build and height with short light brown hair and a stern jaw. He wore a green cotton shirt over a white tee shirt and tan cargo pants with work boots. Beside him was another and much older man who had a bit of a pot belly, sported a shiny blue jacket and red ball cap and blue jeans. His had gray hair and he had thick eyebrows. Next was the female, she sported blue jeans, boots and a pink and white flannel shirt and blonde hair. None looked enthused to meet the other.

Stringfellow Hawke stated, "You are not getting Airwolf, Colonel." He assumed the real mission as to get Airwolf away from Hawke and his team for Air Force Colonels didn't bother with law enforcement. The FBI would be in charge of such a mission. Thus, it had to be a ruse.

Jack looked to Archangel, "I thought you said these guys were gonna help us."

"String will help you, Colonel." he assured. He looked to String, "This is not a normal mission. I was asked by Colonel Hammond to assist Colonel O'Neill and his team. This is a personal request from the Colonel who provides Airwolf with fuel."

String shifted his weight as he looked the group over. "What exactly is this mission?" He found the group consisted of two women and three men, all dressed in second hand clothing that was slightly out of style. He found the group odd for any officer could afford new clothes.

"To assist Colonel O'Neill in anyway possible." he told him.

String rolled his eyes not believing.

The situation was tense and the team glanced at one another hoping this would not a complete waste of time. Janet whispered to Sam, "This is going over like a lead balloon."

Sam figured she needed to say something and gave a soft smile to Dom, "You must be Dominic Santini."

He replied, "I am."

She replied, "Michael mentioned you were a World War Two Fighter Ace."

He stated, "I flew the P-51 in the European theater."

She gleamed, "I would love to hear your story."

He found she seemed genuine, "You would."

"I'm a pilot myself." she nodded. "I love vintage warbirds."

"Ah," he blushed. "I would love to tell you about sometime. What's your name, miss?"

"I'm Major Samantha Carter." she told him.

"You Air Force too?" he asked her.

"I am." she nodded. She looked to Caitlin, "You must be Caitlin O'Shannessy." She held out a hand, "Michael told us you used to fly choppers for the sheriff's office."

Caitlin greeted in a handshake, "Pleasure to meet you, Major."

Daniel decided he better make a good impression to help thaw the ice that was felt in the air. He pushed up his glasses and stated, "I'm Dr. Daniel Jackson. I'm a linguist and archeologist." He offered Caitlin a hand.

"Nice to meet you Dr. Jackson." she replied.

String wondered, "What do you need an archeologist for?"

"Um…well…" he looked to Jack and Sam.

Jack replied, "Aliens." He figured the best cover was to simply tell the truth figuring no one would believe them.

Caitlin came to attention, "Do aliens exist, Colonel? When I was flying patrol I swore I saw something weird one night."

Sam asked, "What did you see?"

"At first it was lights but real high up. Then it came down across the sky and I saw this craft that looked kind of like a saucer but bent in the middle. Like wings on a bird coming in for the kill. It went so fast, I couldn't catch it."

Dom stated, "When did you see a UFO, Cait? You never told us you saw a UFO."

"The guys laughed at me when I told them so I thought it would be best to not mention it. I suppose it could have been anything." she explained. She looked to Sam, "Do have any idea what I saw?"

"How long ago did you see it?" Sam asked for she described a Death Glider.

"About three years ago." she guessed.

The team traded glances. Ba'al would have a 3 year head start on Earth. He could be anywhere.

Sam stated, "I have an idea what it might have been. A possible craft."

Caitlin asked, "Something the Air Force has?"

Jack shook his head, "Nothing we have."

Daniel tried to give an answer that would seem reasonable, "Maybe USSR?"

String asked, "You guys are letting the USSR fly in our air space?"

"No," he shook his head and pushed up his glasses figuring that wasn't a good cover for Stringfellow Hawke seemed pretty sharp.

Jack stated, "Just give Carter the details, O'Shannessy." He looked to String, "So…nice cabin. I got one with a pond. I like to go up there and go fishing. Of course there are no fish in the pond." He mentioned as he normally would in small talk.

String asked, "Why don't you have any fish? Fish eggs can be carried by water fowl, Colonel."

"I never caught one…" he shrugged now wondering if perhaps there might something wrong with his pond. He shook the thought from his mind, "Just saying…nice place." He then suggested, "We can have this little wing ding outside or go inside."

String motioned, "This way." He led the group into the cozy cabin.

Daniel stepped inside and spied the priceless artwork hanging on the wall. His mouth dropped, "Those are all originals."

String looked at him, "You know art?"

"Little," he nodded rather shocked by the size of the collection.

"My father got them for my mother." he informed.

He couldn't help but asked, "Was he an art thief?"

String snapped, "He was pilot."

Dom spoke, "He was my wingman."

Jack glanced at his team hoping they would not get kicked out after Daniel's allegations. He noticed Teal'c was exceptionally quiet and seemed to stare at Marella. He had to admit, Marella was a beauty but she served as a right hand woman to Archangel and that made Jack uneasy.

Sam pressed for information, "Tell me more about the craft you saw when you were flying, Caitlin."

"What would you like to know, Major?" she wondered.

"What direction was it heading?" she asked.

"North." she reported.

String asked, "What does finding this enemy combatant have to do with what Cait saw?"

Jack smirked, "I could tell ya but then I would have to shoot ya."

Hawke smirked back, "Because it's classified."

Jack nodded and then looked at his friends. He whispered to Daniel, "How come this guy was never recruited?"

Daniel remarked, "Because one hard ass is enough."

Sam retrieved a paper and pen and handed it to Caitlin, "Do you think you can give me a rough drawing of what you saw that night?"

"I can try." she agreed and took the paper to the table.

Hawke stated, "Okay…what is all this? We were told you needed Airwolf for air support trying to find some enemy combatant and now you are asking Caitlin about a UFO she saw three years ago. That's not adding up, Colonel."

Jack couldn't help but ask, "Why are you not in the Air Force? Did you have military experience?"

"I was a chopper pilot in Nam. Med evac." he informed. "Lost my brother there."

"I'm sorry you lost your brother." he winced. "You are pretty sharp, Hawke. Just seems to me that you would be a career military officer."

"My brother is MIA." he stated. "I'm not interested in joining the Air Force. I am interested in finding my brother. He's alive." he insisted.

SG-1 began to understand the man's drive. "You are using Airwolf to try and find him?" Daniel asked.

"Hawke helped design Airwolf." Archangel spoke up. "Few people can fly her. It's a hybrid attack helicopter that can reach Mach One. It can go from rotor blades to jet engines. The firm looks for his brother and Hawke flies the missions."

Daniel stated, "But if you have a chopper that only Mr. Hawke can fly, then why find his brother? You need him to fly the chopper, right? Once you find his brother he has no reason to fly for you." He shifted his weight suspicious of the Firm and that perhaps the pilots were being used. Jack was right. Stringfellow Hawke would have been called back to active duty once the Star Gate program started, especially in light of the top secret missions he flew.

Jack looked to Archangel, "Good question. Will he still fly this attack chopper if his brother comes back?"

"That's none of your concern, Colonel." Hawke interrupted. He found it rather intriguing that Daniel pointed out something that had been in the back of his mind for some time.

Dom asked, "What are you guys looking for? Aliens!" he chuckled. "I saw Foo fighters in the War. I can tell ya about that."

Daniel stated, "We are looking for a being that calls himself Ba'al. He's very powerful. It's likely he's been here for three years now and could have established some kind of cult."

String asked, "Are we dealing with someone who thinks they are god?"

Jack nodded, "Yes."

He wondered, "How dangerous is this guy?"

He pondered his reply, "Kind of dangerous."

Daniel stated, "Very dangerous! Do not try to engage him on your own. He can and will kill you."

Dom looked at Caitlin's drawing as she gave it to Sam. He asked, "Just what are we dealing with? Aliens!" He shook feeling a bit weak in the knees. "What does the Air Force know that we're not being told?" He began to suspect they were indeed looking for some kind of alien being.

Jack didn't say a word. He simply glanced at his team and then at Airwolf's crew. He cocked his head and gave a half smile as if he had a secret. He then requested, "When do we get to see this attack chopper you got?"

Hawke stated, "I'll give you a demo, Colonel." He was suspicious of the Colonel and what this oddball team was actually after. If not Airwolf, then what exactly was Ba'al and why did the military come to him for help.