'No, Michael.' Dominic Santini wiped his hands on the rag and glowered at the deputy director of the FIRM. The spy was dressed in an all white three-piece suit with his black eye-patch and wooden cane adding the usual additional eccentricity to the outfit. Dom briefly looked down at his own simple beige overalls and decided that perhaps their contrasting clothing summed up the dissimilarity between the two men more than words ever could; his was the attire of a simple, down to earth man and Michael's…well, Michael's was that of someone who belonged to a different world.

'It's a simple pick up, Dominic.' Michael Coldsmith-Briggs III argued passionately as he followed Dom across the hangar to where the Santini Jet Ranger was parked awaiting repairs. Michael had figured that it wouldn't be easy getting the older pilot to agree to take a mission without the presence of their mutual friend, Stringfellow Hawke, and he'd been right.

'And I told you, String gave me strict instructions that Airwolf was grounded until he got back and we could work on her together.' Dom threw his hands in the air.

Michael frowned. 'I didn't realise there was something wrong with her.' The systems in the world's only technologically advanced and mach capable helicopter were sensitive and required constant maintenance but he'd never known Hawke to ground the machine unless there was something seriously broken.

Dom plastered an innocent expression on his craggy face. It wasn't that there was something wrong with Airwolf but the older man had finally come to agree with Hawke that she was acting odd; shooting down an attacking chopper when she was on the ground and without engineer or pilot definitely fell into the odd category even if she had saved all their lives. Hawke had wanted them to run more tests before they brought it to Michael's attention. 'There's nothing wrong exactly…' he replied to Michael vaguely, 'we just wanted to be sure of a few things before we took her out again. And,' he stressed the word, 'we didn't think you'd be giving us any missions whilst Hawke was away.'

'So that's your final decision?' Michael asked.

Dom nodded.

Michael sighed and tapped his cane on the hangar floor. He stroked his moustache and gestured. 'Well I guess I have no option.'

Dom raised a bushy grey eyebrow inquisitively.

'I'll have to find Hawke.' Michael said.

Dom straightened, his brow lowered ominously. 'You wouldn't dare.'

Michael raised his eyebrows and his good eye met Dom's challengingly. 'Wouldn't I?'

'They're on honeymoon, Michael.' Dom barked. Hawke had married the third member of the Airwolf crew, Caitlin O'Shaunessy almost two weeks before in a quiet ceremony at the cabin. Just the memory of the happy day had Dom smiling.

Michael sighed and adjusted his wire-frame glasses. 'Not anymore.' He made to leave.

Dom scooted in front of him. 'Now wait just a minute.'

Michael waited patiently.

Dom sighed and put his hands on his hips. 'And you wonder why they didn't tell you where they went.'

'Will you help me?' Michael repeated.

'Why do you need Airwolf?'

'I need her stealth capability. The science team is not exactly in a location we want to advertise, Dominic.'

'If you need stealth it'll need someone on the engineering console to watch the radar profile and monitor all the other systems.' Dom said gesturing. 'I can't do that alone.'

'No problem, I'll be the engineer.' Michael said smoothly. He had acted as the engineer for Hawke on a couple of occasions and knew the systems. He knew he could handle a straight-forward mission.

Dom raised an eyebrow again. 'I don't think so.'

The pilot's refusal had Michael taking another step forward as if to leave.

Dom blocked him again and waved him to a stop. 'Just hold your horses.'

'Dominic, we're on a timetable here…' Michael said.

'What's the rush?' Dom asked.

'The scientist we're picking up needs to be returned to the US immediately for medical treatment.'

'Medical treatment?' Dom's compassion rose in his breast, tugged at his heart strings.

'The onsite medic has diagnosed breast cancer.' Michael sighed. 'We've arranged for the scientist in question to be seen by a specialist as soon as we get her back. The longer the condition is left untreated, the more likely it is to be fatal.'

'Well I guess if it's a medical emergency.' Dom muttered. He sighed. 'A simple pick up?'

Michael nodded.

'OK. But if you're going to act as the engineer, you have to do what I tell you. I don't…' it was his turn to meet the other man's gaze with a challenge in his own, 'I don't want any arguments when we're in Airwolf.'

'OK.' Michael readily agreed.

Dom peered into Michael's good eye as if to check his sincerity and harrumphed as he started to clear his tools away.

It didn't take them long to drive to the Lair, Airwolf's hiding place in the Valley of the Gods. It was still cold in the valley with snow touching the highest rock formations. They both changed into the lilac uniforms quickly and began the preparations to leave.

Michael glanced around with a renewed sense of disbelief. Only Hawke would choose to hide a multi-million dollar aircraft in a dusty cave, he thought. The younger man's lateral thinking was one of the reasons why he was such a good operative. The cave did provide a perfect backdrop for Airwolf though; early morning light streamed down the funnel and bathed the black and white helicopter in a golden glow; the rotors glinted and the armour gleamed. He sometimes forgot how beautiful Airwolf was, Michael mused; he never forgot how deadly. He'd lost an eye and the full use of one leg when Airwolf's creator, Moffett had used Airwolf to destroy the Red Star Control tower during his theft of the machine.

He tore his gaze away from Airwolf and it briefly landed on the platform of equipment he had installed when he had finally discovered where Hawke had been keeping Airwolf. His lips twitched. He knew the stainless steel deck, ringed with a bright yellow railing and housing a computer console, communications and updated security system, was tolerated by Hawke at best. It put a smile on his face as he climbed into the cockpit and took his place at the engineering console

Dom finished his pre-flight check and adjusted his heavy helmet. He had often sat in the command chair of Airwolf in the last couple of years but it felt strange to be setting off on a mission without either Hawke or Caitlin. He pushed their absence to the back of his mind and started the engines. He smiled; ah, there was nothing in the world like the sound of his baby coming on line.

'All systems showing green, Dominic.'

Dom rolled his eyes at Michael's voice through the headset. He grasped the cyclic and took Airwolf up. They cleared the Lair and Dom requested the turbos. They shot forward clearing the Valley of the Gods quickly and taking a heading due South.

It wasn't in Dom's nature to remain silent for long. They'd flown for only thirty minutes when he gave in to his need for conversation. 'So what are these scientists of yours doing in the Antarctic anyway?'

'Examining the ice.' Michael replied.

'Examining the ice? What for?' Dom asked interested.

'Scientific discoveries.' Michael adjusted a system. 'Ice can tell us many things about climate and mineral changes within the earth's atmosphere. It may even hold the key to our own evolution.'

'Oh.' Dom thought it sounded pretty interesting. 'And have they made any progress?'

'It's early days.' Michael said.

'How long have they been at it?' Dom asked.

'About three years.' Michael admitted.

Dom raised his eyebrows. Three years and it was early days? He shook his head. 'You know if that's all they're doing I don't get why it's such a big secret.' He frowned.

'It can take years to get any kind of permission to work on the Antarctic continent.' Michael said.

'Because no country has a claim to it?'

'Every country has a claim to it. That's the problem.' Michael sighed. 'The research station is cleverly hidden in a radar black zone. It's a triangle of land on the South coast between two huge walls of ice.'

'Sounds real cosy.'

'The station is buried into the ice itself. To anyone flying over or doing a land survey without the exact coordinates of the station, they'd never see it.' Michael continued as if Dom hadn't spoken. 'It's state of the art and a complete secret even from our own people already in Antarctica.'

'Dodging our own people, huh?' Dom frowned. 'I thought you said this was a simple pick up.'

'It is.' Michael insisted. 'I have the details of the planned patrols. We just need to slip between them.'

'Hmmm.' Dom sighed.

'Our own real difficulty will be communications.' Michael confessed trying for a casual tone.

'Oh?' The word was heavy with suspicion.

'The station location is also a communications black zone.' Michael kept his eye on the monitor in case Dom turned around. 'Something to do with the magnetic forces down there.'

'Now you tell me.' Dom's lips firmed. 'Anything else you failed to mention?'

'Dominic, as we're not going to communicate with anyone, the communications problem isn't an issue.' Michael reassured him.

'If you can't communicate with them, how did you find out about this scientist's medical condition?' Dom asked puzzled.

'They have to move out of the valley by snowmobile and then piggyback any communication on a legitimate one from the scientific communities who do have permission to be there via satellite technology.'

'And how do you communicate with them?'

'We don't.' Michael said. 'If we want to tell them something we arrange a visitation.'

'Then how do they know when you're coming?' Dom was completely perplexed.

'They don't.'

'Oh.' Dom started to smile before a thought occurred to him and he moved to look over his shoulder at the spy. 'Then…are you telling me they don't know we're coming?'

'They requested a pick up. They know they won't know when or how exactly we'll arrive but they know something will be arranged.'

'Great.' Dom muttered as he turned back to the front. 'Just great.'

There was a moment of awkward silence as Dom assessed how the simple pick-up of a scientist for medical treatment had become more complicated in the space of a few minutes.

Michael adjusted one of the systems and decided diversionary tactics were called for. 'So have you heard from the happy couple?'

Dom glanced over his shoulder a little surprised at the question. 'Just a quick call to let me know they'd gotten there safely.'

'And where is there?' Michael probed.

Dom laughed. 'Nice try.'

'I don't know why their honeymoon destination is such a big secret.' Michael said.

'This from the man who was threatening to call Hawke earlier.' Dom shot back. 'They deserve some undisturbed time together not having to worry about anything more than…than cocktails on the beach.'

'It's Hawaii, isn't it?' Michael asked.

Dom looked heavenward. 'Michael, I'm not saying.'

Michael smiled. He already knew the honeymoon destination; he'd had his senior aide, Marella, track them down on the first day when he'd realised Hawke had failed to offer the information. He altered another system. Dom's refusal to tell him, his unremitting loyalty to Hawke was one of the reasons why Michael respected and liked the older man, not that he would ever tell him that. He also would never tell him that he agreed with him; Hawke and Caitlin did deserve to have their honeymoon undisturbed.

'You know Michael, I never got to tell you that I thought it was a nice thing you did for Hawke, sealing the marriage record like that.' Dom's voice broke into his thoughts.

Michael shrugged uncomfortable with the unexpected praise. 'It was nothing. It won't do anything to deter someone who's really set on coming after Hawke through Caitlin.'

'I guess not.' Dom admitted. 'We just have to hope that never happens.'

'I can agree with you on that.' Michael said quietly. If Caitlin was ever hurt or worse by someone trying to get to Hawke…he didn't want to contemplate it.

'Ah but it was a beautiful wedding.' Dom sighed happy to be given the opportunity to wallow in his memories of the day. 'She made a lovely bride.'

'When are they back?' Michael asked.

'Four days from now.' Dom said with a laugh. 'It'll be good to have them home. It's been kinda quiet without the two of them around.'

'I thought your niece was staying?' Michael asked. He'd been introduced to Jo Santini at Hawke's wedding and the small blond pilot had impressed him. He must remember to have Marella check her out, he thought absent-mindedly.

'Nah.' Dom sighed regretfully. 'She got offered another job as a translator in Germany. She headed out straight after the wedding.' He gave another snort of laughter. 'I think she's considering settling down though and I have to admit it would be good to have her home.'

Michael mentally moved the background check on Jo Santini to the top of his to-do list. If the lady was going to be around Santini Air a lot then he needed to ensure she was on the level. He had a feeling Dom would take a different view. He moved the conversation on again.

A couple of hours, and a fuel pickup, later they both realised with some surprise that the journey had passed relatively quickly and they were approaching the Antarctic valley where the research station was nestled.

Dom descended between the icy walls and glanced at the snow-filled landscape below. It was stark and unfriendly. He shivered in automatic reaction despite the warmth in the cockpit.

'You need to slow up, Dominic.' Michael said. 'We'll be there in five minutes at current speed.'

'I don't see it.' Dom complained.

'I told you. You're not supposed to.' Michael reminded him.

'Mark the spot then.' Dom instructed. 'Prepare to disconnect turbos and re-engage rotors.'

'Yes sir.' Michael said dryly. He had a feeling the older man was enjoying the opportunity to boss him around.

Dom harrumphed.

They set down on the ice and taxied forward to park by a concrete entrance almost obscured by the snow.

Dom looked up at the icy cliffs surrounding them worried. 'We can't stay long otherwise all our systems will freeze up.'

Michael nodded. 'I know.'

Dom sighed and switched the engines off. He saw movement at the doorway to the station; their arrival had not gone unnoticed. 'Michael we have company.'

'Let's get into the outdoor gear.' Michael suggested and handed a set of the thermal wear to Dom. The older man sighed; getting into the clothing in the small confines of the helicopter was not going to be a lot of fun. He was glad though of the protective snow suit, face gear, headwear and gloves as they climbed out of Airwolf and the full icy temperature slammed into him. Dom secured the helicopter and followed after Michael as he limped into the station. They were met by a man yards from the door who waved them in.

The station was warmer than the temperature outside but was still cool. Dom was glad of the snowsuit that he wore and he didn't remove his gloves. He looked about him with interest as they passed through. The entrance hall was obviously only used to store gear and equipment; nothing had been done to detract from the stark concrete walls and floor and it was almost as harsh and unfriendly an area as the ice outside. Not exactly welcoming, Dom thought. They were led through an open door and down a wrought-iron spiral staircase that took them into the station itself. It was another cloakroom and the concrete was in evidence but someone had painted it in a soothing warm russet colour. A door at the back was wide open and Dom glimpsed another painted corridor beyond it as he followed the example of the others and stripped off his gloves and face-gear. He stopped as the man who had greeted them suddenly turned from hanging his coat up and hugged Michael.

'It's good to see you, Michael.' The curly grey-haired man took a step back from his embrace and with warm sherry-brown eyes regarded the spy fondly.

'Gregory.' Michael shook his hand warmly and grinned at him. Gregory was one of his oldest friends. They'd joined the FIRM together, had trained together; had worked together in the early days before Gregory's talents as a scientist moved him out of the field missions and into research. 'It's good to see you again too although I would rather it wasn't in these circumstances.'

'The same, Michael.' Gregory grinned back at Michael. 'You've been in the wars since last we met.'

'I've survived.' Michael said dryly.

'You always did.' A female voice in cut glass English had all three men turning to the inner doorway.

Dom's eyebrows raised; the woman definitely didn't conform to his idea of a scientist. She was about Michael's age; elegant, classically beautiful with porcelain skin, large brown eyes and dark blonde hair pulled back in a chignon without a strand out of place. She was wearing layers of sweaters over jeans. Gold glinted at her ears, wrist and fingers.

'Gemma.' Michael said. His good eye ran over the woman briefly taking note of the differences between his memories of her and the reality. 'It's been a long time.'

'Why are you here, Michael?' Gemma asked her arms folded tightly across her chest.

Michael met her eyes steadily. 'I came for you.'

Gemma frowned at him and her eyes flickered to her fellow scientist. 'You told him?'

'You need to leave, Gemma.' Gregory said firmly and with the air of someone who had said the same thing many times before.

'I've told you already; I'm not going.' Gemma whirled and disappeared back into the station.

'She doesn't know?' Dom accused Michael with a large amount of exasperation. Simple pick-up…hah! He was going to have a few words for the spy when the mission was done.

'I'll go and talk to her.' Gregory said.

Michael caught his arm. 'Let me.'

'You'd better hurry it up Michael.' Dom said thinking about the outside temperature and what it was potentially doing to Airwolf's temperamental systems.

The spy nodded and went after the woman.

'I'm sorry,' Gregory said, 'we haven't had a moment to be introduced. I'm Gregory Jackson.'

'Dominic Santini.' Dom eyed him with interest as they shook hands. 'You're a scientist here?'

'For my sins.' Gregory led him into the station. 'You might as well come in and have a drink. Knowing Gemma and Michael this could take a while.'

'Oh you know them well?' Dom asked giving into his innate curiosity.

'Yeah. I was best man at their wedding. Michael usually says that Gemma got me in the divorce settlement.' Gregory said lightly.

Dom's eyebrows almost hit the ceiling and his mouth fell open. He snapped it shut. Michael had been married to Gemma? 'I'm sure you have some fascinating stories, huh?' He asked as they disappeared down a staircase.