Dom paced anxiously in Michael's office and gestured at the video phone. 'Try them again.'

'Dominic, I've already tried them a dozen times.' Michael's patience was wearing thin.

'I don't care.' Dom exploded. 'Try them again.'

Michael shot out of his chair, temper in his eye. 'Dammit Dominic…'

The door burst open and Marella swept in. 'Sir, there's…the airforce have just…'

It took Michael less than a second to register the tears in her voice and her eyes; Dom started shaking his head.

She took a shaky breath. 'The airforce just confirmed Airwolf was destroyed by two of their F4s.'

'No.' Dom shook head sharply at Marella. 'I don't believe it. They would have made it. They have to have made it.'

Michael slumped into his chair. He couldn't think, couldn't speak. He looked over at Dom who was slowly collapsing into a chair like a deflating balloon. The older man lowered his head into his hands. Marella looked at him and then at Michael helplessly. He shook his head. What could they say? Marella walked over. She laid a hand on Michael's shoulder as his head bowed sorrowfully. Footsteps had Marella's head turning towards the door. Zeus and two other Committee members rushed into the room.

Zeus took in the despondent grief and swallowed hard. 'Archangel.'

Michael looked up at him.

'It's true?'

Michael lifted a hand weakly from the desk, opened his mouth to speak…Dom's head suddenly lifted. He whirled out of his seat and pointed to the window. Marella and Michael spun round and blanched.

Airwolf looked back at them through the pane of glass

Dom walloped Michael on the back and grinned. 'Didn't I tell you?'

Michael rolled his shoulder and glared at the older man who was signalling out of the window but looking at his wide gap-toothed smile didn't have the heart to yell at him. A similar grin was spreading across his own face.

'She's incredible.' Zeus said coming to stand by the window. She was so close her rotors were missing the building by inches.

'Yes she is.' Michael got to his feet and saluted the equally incredible pilot.

'How did he get past the security defences?' Zeus wondered out loud.

Michael shrugged.

Dom finished his hand-signalling with Hawke. 'Well, I've got to go. It looks like the communication system shook loose. We'll have to repair her.' Airwolf was already backing away from the window, swinging away from the building returning to the open sky where she belonged.

'I'm coming with you.' Michael said. He put a hand on Marella's arm to get her attention as her dark eyes were firmly fixed on Airwolf. 'Marella, get a team over to Santini Air and check out what damage if any Bening caused.'

'Yes sir.'

'Michael, is there anything we can do?' Zeus asked as the two men went to walk out.

'Yes, call the President and tell him that Bening almost destroyed Airwolf today and ask him what happened to the month we were supposed to get.'

'Done.'

Michael nodded and followed after the pilot.

It didn't take long before Dom led a blindfolded Michael into the Lair but he deserted him at the entrance as soon as he laid eyes on Hawke and Caitlin. He hurried over and swept the younger man up in a hug and then pulled a smiling Caitlin into it. He released them with damp eyes.

'I knew you'd make it.'

'Yeah.' Hawke patted him on his shoulder and his blue eyes slid to the white-suited figure standing in the Lair entrance and widened. 'You brought him here?'

'Now, now. It's fine. He's blindfolded and everything.' Dom jogged back to Michael and brought him forward.

Caitlin slid her arm around Hawke's waist and his arm went around her shoulder as they exchanged an amused look at the two bickering men.

'Dominic, remove this blindfold now.'

'Well just hold still, will ya?'

Michael blinked at them. 'Hawke, Cait. It's good to see you.'

'Wish I could say the same.' Hawke said taking Michael's outstretched arm for a manly handshake and glaring at Dom who looked at the ground.

'I insisted on coming.' Michael looked around the Lair with interest. Only Hawke would hide a multi-million dollar aircraft in a cave. His eyes caught secure metal boxes stacked in one corner – spare armament and equipment he guessed. He saw the small generator that powered the security system behind another rock formation but it was Airwolf who caught his attention. Sunlight cascaded down the funnel, bathed her in light. Metal glinted, armour gleamed. 'She really is beautiful.'

'Best admired at a distance, Michael.' Hawke's tone was easy with no edge and Michael figured he wasn't that upset about him being in the Lair, indeed probably understood why they needed to confer immediately.

'Bening surprised us,' Michael began.

'Yes he did.' Hawke agreed.

'Almost had us too.' Caitlin drawled.

Hawke nodded with chagrin. 'He knew I'd race to Santini Air to rescue you and those F4s were close to taking us out.'

'They thought they had taken you out.' Michael said.

'That was the idea Michael.' Hawke waved a hand at Airwolf. 'Saint John used to call it the old crash and burn trick.'

'That won't work twice.' Dom said.

Hawke nodded his agreement. 'They'll check more carefully before confirming the kill next time.'

'So what now?' Dom asked.

'Well, we can't wait for Bening to make another move.' Hawke said, rubbing his chin. 'We need to go after him and fast.'

'What do you suggest, Hawke?' Michael asked.

Hawke's eyes flickered to Dom. 'We need to close Santini Air right now.'

'Close Santini…' Dom gestured at him. 'Kid, I have contracts…'

Hawke's blue eyes shone with regret. 'I know Dom but if any of us are at the airfield we're too much of an open target for him.'

'Dominic, the FIRM will cover any losses and compensate any of your customers.' Michael reassured him.

'You can always tell them a family emergency came up.' Caitlin added. 'Most people can't argue too much with that.'

'That's a good idea.' Hawke said. 'We should spread the word we've all gone to Italy or somewhere to deal with something like that. Puts us underground.'

Dom harrumphed. 'And how long am I supposed to be closed down for?'

'As long as it takes.' Hawke said evenly. The two men looked at each other across the Lair.

Dom sighed. 'So we close down, then what? We hide out here with the Lady?'

'Then we go after Bening.' Hawke gestured at Michael. 'We're going to need FIRM ids.'

'Sure.' Michael said. 'Do I get to know why you need them?'

'We're going to have to find Bening's weakness and the only way to do that is if we have official ids to get people to talk to us.' Hawke said.

'So the plan is…' Michael began.

'The three of us effectively disappear off the scope. We'll go and investigate Bening, see what we can come up with. Try and get him before he can get us.' Hawke pointed at Michael. 'We'll need you at the FIRM providing cover and back-up.'

'Done.' Michael said, tapping his cane on the ground for emphasis. 'Let's hope this works.'

'It'll work.' Caitlin said confidently.

'It has to,' Hawke added, 'because we're damn well not going to lose Airwolf to Bening.'