3. A Blessing and a Curse
The conference room door clicked shut with seven pairs of eyes boring into the ornate cherrywood after the two Project Guardian agents had left the room.
Following a long silence and a deep sigh, Branson finally spoke. "I better get some new security and have a little chat with my General Manager about just who we let in to protect this place," he said, grumbling in a sarcastic tone.
Not wasting any time, he picked up his cell and dialled his GM.
"What are we gonna do?" Caitlin asked, understandably worried.
"Darl'n." Saint John said gently, "I'm thinking we'll be taking a long look at that what's in that package and then once we get back home, I reckon The Lady will get some flight hours on the clock, " he said as he tore his gaze from the exit and fixed it to the envelope still sitting idle in front of Branson as he talked to his staff.
Nash felt his excitement build as those words registered. Apart from dating Dale, the chance to fly The Lady had been foremost in his mind since he'd laid eyes on her.
Dale too felt a pang of anticipation in the room and was eager to find out what was in that envelope.
Le was stuck on his earlier comment about playing into the hands of their two visitors and whoever they were working for. It was almost as much a roll of the dice as it was a grand plan from any one organisation, with the many factors at play and to have come to this point, he was almost champing at the bit in anticipation to what next chapter would reveal.
So long as it wasn't a long incarceration, he was willing to read the rest of the book.
A book that was at that moment being handed out to everyone in the room. Again neatly bound just like the brief had been earlier.
"This had better be worth it!" Jo said with a grumble. Jo had always been the most reluctant to get involved with The Lady again and she sure hoped that it wasn't all about to come and bite them all in the ass.
"C'mon Ma, don't be such a Debbie Downer," Nash said, giving Jo a light ribbing. "It's a great time to be alive!." He said looking up from the paperwork that sat in front of him.
"I'm getting too old for this, Wings," Jo said with a shake of her head.
"You're just perfect sweetheart," Branson said endearingly, touching her thigh under the table.
Jo simply glared at him with a raised and sculpted eyebrow. None too impressed while he grinned at her in the way he always did, hoping it would improve her mood.
She couldn't help her smile, all the while shaking her head at him.
They all spent some time going over the documents to see what they might be signing their life away to.
What they found was as much as they could have hoped under the circumstances.
Keeping Airwolf was always going to prove problematic and to the US Government, she had always been both a blessing and a curse.
As it was, Airwolf was assumed to have finally succumbed to her fate along with any and all ability to recreate her. If that's what The AMRB thought, then it was hopeful that any opposing intelligence thought it too.
What Branson, the Sanitini's and the Hawkes had inevitably done was given Airwolf a new life as the one-off top-secret weapon she'd always been. She could never be one of those specialised projects that would either be stuffed into a museum for people to wonder what if, or scrapped into oblivion like so many projects and leaving no one the wiser.
According to the contract in front of them, Project Guardian would be similar to the FIRM in as much as they would contract the use of Airwolf for Special Operations. And like the FIRM, they would essentially sponsor Airwolf as far as weapons, ammunition, external support and intelligence.
Where is differed was that all running costs and maintenance fell onto The Lady's current custodians, because they had the means and the ability to do so and it kept everything off the books from American Defence. But that didn't mean that the team would be forced to be altruistic either. There would be compensation on the missions to be negotiated on.
This was referred to as a sign of good will, insofar as it provided an impressive incentive that took away from what was essentially an ultimatum of sorts for the whole group. Just like Dom and String, it would remain to be seen just how willing each of the team members were to become what could be described as Mercenary's.
Nash huffed out a laugh and shook his head as he read between the lines. This caught the attention of the others and he felt all their eyes focus on him.
"What's so funny," Dale finally asked after a few moments of silence.
"Looking at the list of weapons, I'm wondering how they talked Raytheon into helping them out." He said when scanning the document before glancing up to assess what reactions he'd get.
The other's all looked a little blank. All except Branson, who was wondering the exact same thing. He'd once been a major share holder in Corporate Jets Inc. and made a huge profit when Raytheon acquired the business in '97 which helped fund his own aerospace division in SEXII group.
"Indeed" he said with a wry grin, "I think we need to gauge the extent of their part in this, especially since they sold all their aviation interests back in '07." He said flicking through the paperwork for a moment.
"Hold on," he stopped, his eyebrows furrowed as he focussed on a passage within Part 87b. "What the?" he flicked to a previous page and then back again. "Jo what do you make of this?" he asked before verbalising the items out loud to the rest of the group.
A minute later Jo sat a little stunned. "They want you to set up secret development division within SEXII Group. Just for Raytheon?"
"Looks that way."
"What could they want with that?" Caitlin asked.
"I think they want to develop Moffet's BBT for other projects," Le said, "and they want you to do it off the record, because let's face it, all of this appears off the record. Like I said before, I think we've played right into a plan all along."
All eyes turned to Le. He shrugged, "I don't think Airwolf was ever destined to be mass produced this time around. The AMRB were after whatever secret technology she carried that stopped her tearing apart over two hundred knots."
The Lady was like potato chips, in certain hands there was no way that they could stop at just one, so there was no point in any part of the defence force getting their hands on her. That ship had sailed long ago, it was far safer to let the likes of Boeing, McDonell Douglas, Grumman and other popular research and development companies continue to dabble with the current crop of compound helicopters and try and make inroads into that speed barrier with their VSTOL technology.
Le continued. "There's nothing that even comes close. Except for Airwolf. We knew this, The AMRB knew this, the Russians knew this. Who knows if anyone else knew this. You get the picture
"But with the project supposedly sunk, everything has now ground to a halt. Except for those left who know otherwise. The applications for Airwolf's technology is phenomenal and not just for helicopters. Imagine the scope for hypersonic air travel, space travel, heck who knows if it could be applied to ocean going vessels or even underwater on subs?"
The enormity of Le's words hung in the air.
Branson rubbed his hands over his face and let out a frustrated groan. "I don't know about anyone else, but I think we need to get back to Van Nuys and take our time looking over things there."
Late that evening back at Jo's place, everyone had ample opportunity to pour over the documents. They'd had dinner and were now all sprawled comfortably around Jo's lounge room with a drink in hand.
One thing became glaringly obvious to everyone. Project Guardian wanted all the benefits of having Airwolf without the notoriety it would inevitably receive within a government contracted department. Being part of Branson's consortium meant it would keep the contract off their books they would make sure that never the twain shall meet.
"So. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't this whole idea seem a little too much like a Thunderbirds scenario?" Dale asked of one of her favourite childhood series thanks to her Uncle Bran.
The reactions of the others were swift and varied.
Nash let out a bellowing laugh. Although he did recollect the series, he better remembered that awful parody Team America from his teen years.
Letting out a surprised huff, Saint John was impressed with Dale's comparison of the old 60's British science fiction series, "Golly, Dale darli'n, I remember Thunderbirds from when I was a kid."
Branson also saw the similarity, "FAB Dale." He said with a grin of nostalgia, "I think you've nailed it. Except this time the missions have enough firepower to blow up a small city."
Truth be known, much of his inspiration came from this fantastical concept and led him to the business that was now SEXII Group. All of those impossible missions with impossible machines... and here they were with Airwolf. One of the most impossible machines ever created and with the ability to share her technology to make other impossible machines too.
"Lordy! Now we've been reduced to a darn puppet show!" Caitlin said with a cringe, remembering how the marionets kind of creeped her out.
Jo didn't really relate, she knew of the TV show, but never really paid too much attention to it.
"Well, you're almost right there, sugar." Saint John said agreeing with Caitlin. "We're certainly puppets of some kind."
"And it'll be the greatest show on earth!" Nash said excitedly. "Thunderbirds are go!" he exclaimed and even from his seat, he managed the floaty marionet action that the puppet characters were renowned for and giving everyone a giggle despite themselves.
Jo looked at him in disbelief and with her mouth agape, quickly snapping it shut, "I fail to see the humour in that Wings," she said without mirth.
"Oh Ma, we're all puppets in this world, it's not just us. While we might be somewhat obliged to serve the master, it's no different to any other employer. Difference is, we're their last resort. That means they can only point us in the general direction they want us to go in. But we," he said with a pause gesturing to himself and the rest of the group, "get to be in charge of how we conduct ourselves once let out the gate.
"It's exactly how Dom and String ran things. The difference this time is that we're even more undercover than before because everything is so much more advanced. And it says here," Nash tapped at his paper, "that there will be renumeration up for negotiation, so it's not as if we'd be doing it for nothing, they now how much it's worth.
"Hell, they want you to start a whole new division for them Branson and let's face it, they have just as much to lose." he said lifting his contract with a light shake in Branson's direction.
"You do have a point Wings," Branson conceded. "What Tobias and Project Guardian are up to is highly contentious, if word got out..." he said, shaking his head and leaving the sentence unfinished.
"If word got out we're all screwed!" Dale said.
"Yeah, you could be right babe," Nash said patting Dale's leg, "but I recon that we're open to amending in a few of those terms and conditions." Nash said brimming with his usual confidence.
"I'm willing to bet that they have much more to lose than we do, or they would have thrown us in the can long ago. You heard Michael, he knew Airwolf never even got her wheels wet."
Branson nodded, "Yes. I'd have to agree Wings, they're in it up to their necks and have no way to operate The Lady without being detected by the rest of Americas own intelligence."
"It's almost like they're trying to claw back any control they've lost with the event of today's technology. It's just not that easy for her to hide in plain sight anymore." Saint John said recalling his amazement of that very thing when he came back from his secret desert hideout. It took him a long while to become somewhat tech aware.
Branson sighed. "Well... however we look at it, we're into it up to our necks too, so I guess there's nothing for it but to get on with it."
The group finally wrapped things up after agreeing to see this thing through.
Over the following days there were many discussions on how to best proceed.
Branson opted to start a new company, New Alliance Technologies and made sure that it was well separated from SEXII Group. He wasn't going to risk his empire if this went down badly.
He had his legal team sort out where he could push the terms and conditions on the contract, including amending the danger money that would be split fairly to all the members within the consortium.
Raytheon would be included within the contract for weapons supply only and Branson would approach them about the other projects separately.
Sitting back casually in a dark leather chair in one of the smaller offices at the Whitehouse, President Tobias had just signed off on what he believed to be one of the most important deals he'd ever made for the protection of his country. Joining him was his beautiful wife, Melanie.
It would be a privilege to work alongside the British tycoon that he had professionally admired for the best part of twenty years.
While it may have seemed that Branson Richards had his back against the wall, in reality they were all going to be in terrible, terrible trouble if their arrangement was uncovered.
The Director of Intelligence and Secretary of Defence would take care of any conventional national security. None of their divisions could ever discover what he'd been up to.
Project Guardian would be in charge of sorting through intelligence that had fallen through the cracks or been swept under the carpet somewhere - accidentally or otherwise.
The Black Ops nature of the venture had Tobias - like his new ally - make sure to bury any evidence deep in a new company. But he had to do it in his wife's name, well away from the other interests that his children now ran while he was at the helm in the oval office.
He was confident the team that had been assembled was the right one and would be a great asset to his equally great country. Even if they would never even know it.
Tobias couldn't expect any commendation for his work. He'd be lucky that he didn't get caught and impeached. Or worse. No, this was to remain a hush hush experiment. Maybe he had an ego. Maybe he was arrogant. But he was convinced that what he was implementing was for the good of his country and the world. It was his duty.
Heck, maybe Melanie was right, maybe he was just plain nuts.
The timing could have been better and it would have been wonderful if everything had been able to commence when The AMRB was involved, but even though he would have had zero personal risk playing by the bureaucratic book, he wasn't too sure he liked the idea of waiting to mobilise the missions he felt were more urgent than having to wait for Congress or Defence to dissect the situation before coming to him to finally press the red button.
As it was, he had heard all the warnings of potential retaliation for openly putting China in its place over trade deals as of late.
He wasn't one to reward bad behaviour. Nothing came without risk and he hoped like hell that gambling on Project Guardian and the people who had the almost mythical Airwolf helicopter would pay off.
It had also been a fantastic distraction to have met with the Russian President and convince his party's opposition that he was playing footsies with the enemy even though Tobias knew it was always better the autocrat you knew than the one you didn't.
What's more, the Sino-Russian relations was at an all-time high and he wouldn't put it past either communist country to conspire together to threaten the USA.
It was inevitable.
President Tobias had placed operatives deep undercover in both countries as soon as he came into office in preparation for any unconventional attack that he may have to contend with. It was fortunate then, that nothing had transpired in all this time.
He just hoped that his luck would hold out and this improved Airwolf Helicopter could be tested before it was needed. He had practiced extreme patience and was now champing at the bit to see it in the flesh.
Ayden Chapman was the man at the helm of Project Guardian. An astute businessman and a previous high ranking FBI agent, he didn't like the way the Bureau was heading, so he started his own intelligence firm.
When President Darrian Tobias approached him, Chapman was more than happy to speak with him after hearing that the former FBI Director had finally been terminated. Ayden had always knocked heads with that SOB and he had no interest in ever having to work alongside him again.
Tobias had some radical ideas that Chapman had to admit, might just be crazy enough to work.
Now a few years later here they were. Not quite in the oval office, that wasn't really this President's style, but at the Whitehouse non the less and working on the undercover project of his career.
Later and after much discussion it was agreed that he contracts would be given highest priority and rewritten and signed ASAP.
Marella, Michael, Branson and Ayden were then escorted from the Whitehouse through one of the many secret underground entrances and went their separate ways with their instructions on how their new rolls would play out.
Marella would continue to collect intelligence for the President outside Project Guardian and compare notes with Ayden before determining if something was urgent enough to enlist New Alliance.
Michael would step back a notch and take a less active intelligence position, his skills were needed in strategy. He would also still take on the same sort of responsibility he always had as deputy director of the FIRM and would be the coordinator between Project Guardian, New Alliance Technologies and the President once a mission came up.
Branson would now need to make sure that the Santini Crew initiated Airwolf's flight testing ASAP and have New Alliance Technologies start work with Project Guardian on a seperate deal with Raytheon and the development of other potential super machines.
Branson was not prepared to take on all the risk himself and the other parties thankfully didn't object to his expert negotiation.
Only a day or so later Saint John and Caitlin assumed their positions in The Lady's cabin. Nash sat in the co-pilots seat and was instantly hooked on the adrenalin surging through him. He'd been waiting for what seemed like forever to get any sort of airtime in The Lady.
Every individual system had been tested and now was the time or it all to finally come together.
Le had done a magnificent job in the design and the crew had done an equally magnificent job on the build.
Caitlin was monitoring the systems from the EDCC and communicated with Le who was monitoring the diagnostics of each system as it came online, confirming good to go at every step.
Twenty minutes later Saint John pulled back on the collective and guided The Lady slowly and carefully as she rose from the crater floor. By the time they reached the top, he selected gear up and it was time to test Airwolf's conventional helicopter characteristics.
She was smooth and responsive to the cyclic. Balance and stability was perfect and The Lady's aerodynamic sensors didn't pick up on any unusual anomaly's until weapons were deployed as expected.
On the ground a designated low-level course had been mapped out to push the limits of Airwolf's manoeuvrability so it could be stacked up against her old data.
Once she reached her critical speed at two hundred knots, the former non-existent BBT indicators lit up and automatically activated on the rotors.
Pushing through two hundred and fifty knots, BBT came on standby for Turbo's.
But they wouldn't push that button today.
Much to everybody's disappointment.
That didn't stop Nash woohooing when Saint John produced the high velocity Hammerhead and Immelmann turns at the end of their runs only to go back to ground level and repeat the course. Nash had made these moves and many others in fighter jets, but it was a whole other level of brain space to accept them from a helicopter at this speed.
"You have the controls Wings." Saint john said, raising both his hands and testing Airwolf's flight recovery sensors.
Back at the Lair, Nash practiced his first decent into the mouth of the ancient volcano.
Branson, Jo and Dale were standing alongside Le who was furiously checking things off on his iPad.
The downwash reduced as The Lady was first throttled back to idle before ignition was cut, leaving her rotors to spin with their own momentum as the crew cracked the doors and disembarked.
"So? How was it? How does she handle?" Dale asked excitedly with a barrage of eager questions as the crew strode toward the rest of the group.
Nash ran a hand through his helmet hair and grinned from ear to ear, "That was fantastic, she corners like she's on rails, I can't wait to let her stretch her legs!" he said, his voice echoing through the cavernous space. He approached his girlfriend and gave her a side hug and a quick kiss.
"You'll get to see for yourself soon babe," he said, with a promise knowing that once the testing was complete, Dale would get her turn to crew The Lady.
Gathering around Le who was still busy tapping away at his device, Saint John asked, "Did she Shape up ok Le, she sure felt like an improved version of her old self"
"Well yes, she did pass with flying colours, if you'll pardon the expression, but I can still tweak a few things." He said, finally looking up, "There's room for improvement. Both in Airwolf and her pilot's."
"Hey!" Nash said with mock offence.
The group laughed and Branson called it a day and later that evening briefed Michael in the first day of testing.
The second day they went over the old ground before ramping it up.
"Ok. Initiate Turbo's" were the words that the three crew members had been waiting for from Le.
"Yes!" Nash said in a hiss, before he could rein it in.
"You heard the man. Turbo's Cait." Saint John said as he relayed the order to his favourite engineer.
"Rodger that. Turbo's" Caitlin repeated with a smile. "Don't forget to brace," she added with a smile of anticipation. She activated the Turbo button and they were all thrown back in their seats a second later.
The acceleration was smooth up to Mach one where Le kept abreast of Airwolf's numbers until they cruised to a comfortable Mach 1.5 at 70% thrust, where they left it for the day.
Nearing Mach two was where Airwolf used to get vibration and stability issues. This is where Le learned the most from Moffet's BBT.
Even though the rotors disengaged through the 300 knot transition, the blades didn't actually stop turning. The forward momentum of airspeed meant that they continued to turn like they did with the Rotodyne concept and still created lift. Of course without some sort of protection, the rotors would be torn off in a second when moving at higher speeds.
Airwolf was essentially a very cleverly designed magnetohydrodynamic generator, producing an electromagnetic field that shielded Airwolf, detaching and deflecting certain energy fields away from the leading edges of her surfaces by ionising the air around them. This included shockwaves from Mach speeds and the heat that was associated with that.
It was the reason that Airwolf also didn't suffer retreating blade stall over two hundred knots.
When under jet thrust, Airwolf's increasing speed triggered the ionised air to change the airflow around The Lady and it followed a more organised and streamlined shape, making her incredibly efficient.
This was the technology that the NAT hoped could be applied to those other potential projects.
Le had taken the new improved Airwolf a step further with increased power and performance improvements all around. A few aerodynamic tweaks such as strategically placed foils and high performance rotors would allow for extra grip and improved aerodynamics that the old Airwolf lacked when taken to the edge.
After taking a diagnostic reading at the end of the successful session Le said that The Lady was ready and it was time.
Time to test her new limits. If she stayed together with the G-Forces from a rapid climb, decent and deceleration that had become her signature move, she would then be ready to train her new crew and then give a demonstration to the other members of the unofficial faction.
Branson had to leave California the following afternoon to attend other business matters back in Atlanta and with everybody excited at the prospect of a positive result, they decided to go out for dinner to celebrate their success so far.
Halfway through the second course Branson's phone lit up and indicated a call from Michael.
"Michael" Branson said cheerfully, the two men would likely always be mild adversaries.
"Branson," Michael returned pleasantly enough.
Branson's jovial mood was somewhat sobered with Michael's use of his first name. That usually meant some sort of discord.
"We need to fast track Airwolf."