Hawke frowned and adjusted Airwolf's balance automatically as he made the course adjustment towards Jackson airbase. It had been a fraught three days since they had failed to capture Marin. All of the team were on edge. A subdued Jo had headed back to Bulgaria to complete her last assignment for the Company the day before. Hawke knew that she was feeling guilty about her unintentional involvement in what had happened. He just hoped that whatever information she had told Marin would be considered worthless.

It wasn't just the tension that was getting to him, he thought. The Airforce had wanted Hawke and Airwolf to take part in training exercises at the airbase in preparation for the mission. It was only Michael's personal guarantee that the Airforce wouldn't make an attempt to take Airwolf that had prompted Hawke to acquiesce. Not that Hawke believed that would stop the Airforce from trying. Still, it wasn't often that Michael resorted to outright begging…of course, Hawke reflected grumpily, that hadn't prevented the spy from sticking Hawke with the preparation work for the HX-2 briefing they were performing for the Airforce personnel; three boxes of specs, tests results and video material. At least Dom and Caitlin had helped out.

His thumb brushed against his finger and he frowned at the absence of his wedding ring. Michael had suggested that the couple presented their relationship as purely professional. Neither of them had been happy about the idea but they both recognised the value of keeping their personal relationship secret in front of the military. Their wedding bands and Cait's engagement ring were on a chain around her neck. Hawke missed the band of gold and it added to his general unease about the mission.

Hawke sighed; he definitely had a bad feeling about this. He tuned back into the conversation between Dom and Caitlin to hear the older man burst into laughter at one of his own jokes.

'We're approaching Jackson now, Hawke.' Caitlin ran her hands over the engineer's console and gave a pleased smile; it was good to be back.

'You'd better contact the base,' Hawke said glancing across at the older man sat beside him in the counter-measure specialist chair, 'Dom, request an approach.'

Dom nodded. 'Connect me through, Cait.'

'Connected.' She confirmed.

Dom cleared his throat. 'Jackson Airbase, this is Airwolf. Do you copy?'

'Copy Airwolf.' The rapid fire confirmation was indicative of the military.

'We are requesting an approach, Jackson.' Dom radioed back.

'Hold your position Airwolf.' Jackson said. 'You do not have clearance to approach. Copy?'

Dom looked over at Hawke with a surprised look.

Hawke's blue eyes went blank with fury. 'Jackson,' he snapped, 'we don't give a damn about clearance. We are approaching, Airwolf out.' He stabbed a finger on the button to break the connection. 'Raise our high ops and give me turbos.'

Caitlin raised an eyebrow but complied with the order as Hawke took Airwolf into a dive. The helicopter screamed over the ground.

'We should be off their radar now.' Caitlin confirmed.

'Good.' Hawke growled.

'You think this is the best way to make friends with them?' Dom asked trying not to look at the scenery zipping by below.

'I'm not trying to make friends.' Hawke swung them over a ridge and slammed over the Jackson fence with a meter to spare.

In the airbase control tower the assorted airforce personnel were panicking. Michael stood with a foot on the chair in front of him where Marella was seated. Both of them were trying for impassive expressions but they couldn't quite conceal their enjoyment as Airwolf disappeared in response to Jackson's grandstanding.

'Where is she?' General Kendry yelled at the controller who shook his head.

'I'm not reading any contact at all. She's disappeared, sir.' There was a nervous tremor in the young airman's voice and he avoided making eye contact with the blustering six foot man behind him.

Kendry's brown eyes glared at the back of the airman's head. 'That's impossible.'

'Sir, I'm receiving visual confirmation at look out point five.' Another airman reported.

'Sir, I've got visual from look out four,' chimed in another.

'But that's impossible.' Kendry's cheeks suffused with a bright red flush. 'It's a helicopter. It can't fly at mach speed.' The general swung round to glare at Michael. 'You have something you want to tell me, Archangel?'

Michael smoothed a finger over his moustache and smiled enigmatically. The general huffed and swung back to the airman. 'Find that damn helicopter.'

'Sir…' The young man swallowed hard as Airwolf slowly rose up to take position outside the control tower window. He gestured frantically.

The general turned around and his mouth dropped open. Michael and Marella glanced across. Michael grimaced, the memory of seeing Airwolf in a similar position moments before Moffett had tried to blow them to pieces, flashing through his mind.

Inside Airwolf, Dom laughed heartily. 'Do you think if I wave it'll spoil the moment?'

Hawke shot him a look. 'Caitlin, reconnect…'

'You should be able to talk to them now.' She confirmed.

His blue eyes flashed and he peered into the control tower. 'Jackson, this is Airwolf. Where would you like us to park?'

'Sir?' The airman waited for the general's permission to respond.

The general waved at him. 'Give him the instructions.'

'Airwolf, please proceed to hangar six. Uh, that's the one right next door to the control tower.'

Hawke glanced back at Caitlin who furiously worked the console.

She looked up with amused blue-green eyes. 'I have control of the hangar's automated system. Opening the roof now.'

Hawke swung Airwolf away from the control tower almost lazily and as the roof opened, Airwolf descended. The coordination was so perfect that her rotors cleared the opening by inches before Caitlin reversed the procedure and the roof closed over them as they finished the descent.

The hangar was rapidly filling with people. The general marched in, his team almost running to keep up with him. Michael and Marella followed at a sedate pace coming parallel with the general as the cockpit doors opened and the Airwolf team alighted. Hawke sauntered over, Caitlin and Dom flanking him. He ignored the general and greeted Michael with a nod and a handshake.

'Archangel.' Hawke used Michael's codename; it would work better with the military.

'Hawke.' Michael couldn't resist smiling. 'Nice entrance.'

Hawke's lips twitched and he heard Dom turn a laugh into a cough. He moved his gaze to the general.

'Captain Hawke.' Kendry bit out.

'General.'

The two men stared at each other until the silence became uncomfortable for everyone else. The general moved. 'Follow me.' He started off across the hangar.

Hawke waited for a brief moment letting the general get embarrassingly near to the hangar door without him before he started walking. They marched across to a building and were shown into a briefing room where twenty pilots all stood to attention. The general went straight to the lectern.

Hawke, Dom and Caitlin stood at the front, looking out on the fresh young faces of the Airforce's finest. They ignored the speculative and admiring looks; word had obviously spread quickly.

'As you know you have been selected to take part in a recovery mission of a prototype helicopter called the HX-2.' The general began. 'You are here for your first briefing on the situation. At the request of the Commander-in-Chief, the airforce has ceded authority of the rescue mission to an intelligence agency.' His tone clearly communicated what he thought of that idea. He gestured at the Airwolf team. 'Captain Hawke will be your commanding officer for the duration of this mission. You will follow his orders as though they were mine.' The general looked around the room to check his words were understood. He gave a short nod of satisfaction. 'Captain Hawke.' He invited Hawke to take the lectern.

Hawke didn't bother with the lectern. He simply pushed away from the wall, folded his arms and looked out on the assembled men and women. He wondered if he had ever been that young.

'The HX-2 disappeared from a high-tech security airfield and is still to be located. We don't know who took it or for what purpose.' Hawke looked around the room. 'When the HX-2 is located, if it is deemed possible, we will mount a recovery mission. Depending on the location and the exact situation we may deploy all twenty of you or a smaller group.' He noticed the looks of surprise and ignored them. 'You should all have received a briefing pack on the HX-2's capabilities.' He hoped Michael had come through on his part of the preparation deal and by the way people were pulling shiny blue folders to the top of their stack, he had. 'I hope you read it because I'll be quizzing you on the details in a moment.' He stopped and his eyes narrowed on the startled looks. 'You don't know me and I don't know you yet so over the next couple of days, we will be spending a great deal of time with each other. My team,' he indicated Dom and Caitlin with a waving finger, 'you should assume orders from them came directly from me.' He took a breath. 'Any questions?'

There was silence.

'Good.' Hawke sighed. 'We'll start at the front. You'll give me your name, I'll ask you a question on the HX-2 and you'll answer.' He pointed at the first guy and began the questions. He relaxed a little as the briefing proceeded. It became apparent in the tone of the replies which of them were going to be eager to work with them, which had reservations and which would be trouble. After an hour of questioning, he called a halt and told them to get some breakfast and meet him on the airstrip in two hours. The airforce personnel filed out leaving the Airwolf team alone with Michael and Marella.

'I don't think I've ever seen that briefing strategy used before.' Michael said tapping his cane on the floor.

'If you're going to critique me after every session I'm leaving now.' Hawke snapped.

Michael held his hand up. 'I appreciate you turning up at all. So what's the next exercise?'

Hawke rocked back on his heels and rubbed his chin. 'I thought I'd see what their flying skills are like.'

'So you're going to up with each of them?'

'Yes and no.' Hawke allowed himself a small smile; the acting director of the FIRM wasn't going to like what he had in mind. 'I'm going to take each of them on in a dog-fight. Jet against Airwolf.'

Michael stared at him. 'Tell me you're joking.'

'You wanted me to train with them.' Hawke pointed out.

'But not give them free demonstrations of Airwolf.' Marella said equally as outraged by the idea as Michael.

'Airwolf is the nearest thing to the HX-2 that they're going to get to practice against.' Hawke shrugged. 'I want to see which of them can't handle going up against something like it.'

Michael sighed. 'You have a unique take on training.'

'Why thank you, Michael.' Hawke said as Dom hid a smile behind a large hand.

'Is there any news on the HX-2 location?' Caitlin asked before the guys could start exchanging insults.

Marella shook her head. 'Not as yet. But we're narrowing it down. It turns out that one of the security team disappeared six months ago. We tracked him down through his ex-wife and arrested him yesterday. We're currently questioning him.'

Hawke put a hand on Caitlin's shoulder. 'Come on. Let's get some breakfast. It's going to be a long day.'

By the mid-afternoon, Hawke was beginning to get sick of his own training plan. The challenge was simple. Airwolf would approach Jackson as she had that morning; it was up to the pilot in the jet to stop her reaching the control tower. So far, it seemed only two pilots had even come up with a strategy for dealing with Airwolf and even those had been clumsily deployed. He sighed and stretched. At least this was the last one.

'Who are we facing next?'

Caitlin smiled. 'Angelo Cortez.'

Hawke pressed a couple of buttons above his head. 'Let's hope Cortez has more about him than the others.' He started the engines and took her up. He flew out of Jackson and made a wide loop ten miles from the base. He called for the turbos and they sped back to their target.

The jet was waiting for them and cut across their path when they were five miles out, Hawke swerved and entered Jackson at the start of a canyon.

'Hawke, I'm reading passive defences. Wires.' Caitlin informed him already making the necessary calculations to inform her advice. 'We can get under them but they differ in height. Switch to infrared.'

Hawke snapped the visor down and suddenly saw the obstacles ahead. He concentrated as he flew the helicopter forward without reducing their speed.

'Hawke, the jet has swung round and entered the canyon from the opposite end.' Caitlin rechecked her scan. 'He's coming right at us. Under the wires.' She bit her lip, an idea forming. 'Hawke, if we stop between the next wires...'

'Disengage turbos; reengage rotors. All stop.' He ordered getting her suggestion straight away.

'All stop confirmed in five, four, three, two, one.' Caitlin disengaged the turbos and reengaged the rotor system. They hovered in the middle of the canyon and waited for the jet.

'Hawke, we should have a visual…now.' Caitlin said.

The jet streamed towards them.

Hawke hoped the kid held his nerve and didn't panic at the sight of the chopper sat in the middle of his path. The jet continued on a straight course. Hawke waited until the last possible moment and then ducked. The jet screamed overhead and Hawke had to fight to steady Airwolf. As soon as she settled, he called for the turbos again. They reached the control tower and headed back for the hangar.

As soon as they landed, Dom poked his head into the cockpit. 'That kid almost had you.'

'It was a good strategy.' Hawke commented, getting out and stretching, easing the kinks from his shoulders. 'Best one of the day.'

They walked over to the briefing room and smiled at each other at the sound of excited chatter. They opened the door and the noise came to an abrupt halt.

Hawke walked to the front. 'Cortez, stand up.'

A handsome young man with thick dark hair and matching dark brown eyes stood up.

'At ease.' He said to Cortez. 'Good work.'

'Sir, Evans and Kilgarry also contributed to the strategy.' Cortez said.

'All of you stand up.'

Miles Evans and Gillian Kilgarry stood up. Hawke praised them for their contribution and then invited them to explain how they'd come up with the strategy. Evans went over the key strategy components; making Airwolf enter the canyon where the wires were, the anticipated game of Chicken under the wires; all designed to make Airwolf climb and reveal her presence to the Jackson radar.

'It was a good strategy but it did have one flaw.' Hawke waved the three of them back to their seats. 'Anyone want to comment on what that was?'

'It didn't work?' A voice called from the back. There were a couple of sniggers.

Hawke shot a look at the culprit, a young guy called Anders. He rephrased the question. 'Why didn't it work?'

Anders gestured with his pen. 'Sir, the strategy was built on Airwolf's capabilities as a jet. They didn't think about her being used as a chopper.'

'Actually we did.' Kilgarry spoke up and hurriedly glanced at Hawke to check for permission to speak. He indicated for her to continue. 'We thought about it but we didn't believe you would switch in the middle of a game of Chicken. We thought you'd want to…to…'

'Prove I had the bigger balls?' Hawke said as he raised an eyebrow.

Kilgarry flushed but nodded.

Hawke leaned against the lectern. 'The strategy was fundamentally sound and you guys were right. If I had been flying Airwolf alone, I probably would have continued to fly rather than stopping and ducking.' He paused. 'However, you didn't take into account that I would listen to my engineer and agree to take a different course of action which brought into play Airwolf's other capabilities and you had no counter-strategy for that event.' He asked for some ideas on what counter-strategies they could have come up and held a discussion for thirty minutes before calling a halt and dismissing them.

A sandy-haired colonel stood at the back of the room and approached Hawke as they left. 'Colonel Patrick.' He said introducing himself and thrusting his hand forward. 'You have a real gift for teaching, Captain Hawke. I haven't seen fully trained pilots that energised after any other mission briefing in my career.'

Hawke shrugged off the praise. 'Airwolf tends to bring that out.'

The colonel nodded. 'The general thought as flying is off the agenda for tomorrow, it might be a good idea for you to get to know the team in a more informal setting. There's a bar just off the base called the Flying Double D who have a great band. We'll all be heading there. They do good food too.'

'I'll see.' Hawke said in reply.

The colonel nodded again and took his leave.

'Good food, huh?' Dom said hopefully.

Hawke sighed. 'You want to go?' He'd been looking forward to finding a campsite somewhere nearby and settling down for a quiet night.

'Well, it's not such a bad idea for you to get to know these kids a little more, String.' Dom's eyes twinkled at him. 'Besides, we need to eat, huh?'

Hawke looked at Caitlin who shrugged in response to his unasked question. 'Up to you.' She said.

He looked back at Dom's eager expression. 'OK. We'll eat and then we'll leave.'

Dom slapped his shoulder. 'Deal.'

A few hours later, Hawke took a gulp of beer and wondered why he'd agreed to come. The bar was crowded and noisy. The colonel had been right; the food was good but after they'd finished their meal, the airforce team had started to come across in groups to talk to him. Hawke hated small talk; he'd politely refused the offers to dance, hadn't responded to the more blatant flirtations from the women and hadn't thumped any of the men who'd openly flirted with Caitlin. At least people were leaving them alone now, either dancing or with Dom.

Hawke took a sip of his beer and glanced over at the neighbouring table where Dom was holding court. The older pilot was having a ball. He'd corralled a group of the youngsters including Cortez and his buddies and was happily telling war stories. He frowned at the table where they were all huddled. They were never going to be able to leave, Hawke thought sullenly.

'Something wrong?' Caitlin asked beside him.

Hawke turned to her and his blue eyes warmed with indulgent humour. Her blue-green eyes were pinned on the dance floor. He set his beer down. 'You want to dance?'

She looked at him in surprise. 'I thought we were supposed to keep it completely professional.'

Hawke stood up and held out his hand. 'I want to dance with you.'

Caitlin looked out at the dance floor and then back at Hawke. She got to her feet taking his hand. The band chose that moment to change the tempo and started a slow number.

Hawke ignored the stares they were getting and found a corner of the dance floor. He pulled Caitlin into his arms and began to sway gently to the music.

'Tired?' Hawke asked as she sighed.

'A little.' She admitted.

'We can leave after this dance.' Hawke said, unconsciously drawing her closer.

Caitlin smiled at him. 'Are you planning to hogtie Dom?'

His eyes flickered briefly away from her to the table where Dom was now sitting grinning widely back at them. 'Maybe we should leave him.'

'He's just thrilled to have a new audience.' Caitlin said.

'Maybe.' Hawke caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and sighed. 'I've had enough of this.' Before Caitlin could say another word, he leaned forward and kissed her. The move had the effect of bringing Anders, who'd been about to cut in, to a stumbling change of direction a mere two steps from their position and captured the attention of everyone in the room. Money changed hands as bets were won and lost.

Hawke ended the kiss.

'Did you just kiss me to claim ownership?' Caitlin murmured by his lips as they continued dancing.

Hawke slowly met her eyes; his were more than a little abashed. 'Is there a right answer to that question?'

'Depends.' Caitlin said.

He raised an inquiring eyebrow. 'On?'

'Whether it's a yes or no.'

'Those are my only options?' Hawke asked. He sighed at her intent look. 'OK. Yes.'

She leaned forward, her fingers sliding into his hair and kissed him again. 'Good.'

Hawke smiled at her. 'You want to leave?'

'Sure. I'll just go to the bathroom. You round up, Dom.' Caitlin slipped out of his hold and he headed for Dom's table.

Hawke ignored the knowing look the older man gave him. 'You ready to head out?' He asked.

'I'll just finish this story.' Dom said turning back to his audience and gesturing wildly. 'So, there we were with one engine down…'

The next morning, the two men sat by the campfire and drank coffee whilst they enjoyed the sunrise.

Dom sighed and breathed in a lungful of fresh country air. 'Ah this is the life, String.'

Hawke glanced over at Caitlin who was still curled up under a mountain of blankets fast asleep. 'Yeah, but only for a night. She shouldn't be sleeping rough when she's pregnant.'

'You doing any better?' Dom asked hearing the worry in the younger man's voice.

Hawke sighed and raised his tin mug. 'She's not locked in the cabin.'

Dom gave a little huff of laughter. 'She'll be fine, String.'

'I should wake her.' Hawke said regretfully. 'We should get moving.'

'Have you two thought through what you're going to tell Michael about last night?' Dom said.

Hawke shrugged. 'I don't intend telling him anything.'

'You were supposed to be keeping it professional.' Dom pointed out.

'I did.' Hawke paused. 'I kissed Caitlin rather than punching Anders. I thought that was the most professional approach.'

Dom laughed loudly as Hawke headed over to wake his wife.

It didn't take them long to head back to the airbase and they landed in the hangar without the previous day's dramatics. Hawke sighed as he pulled off his helmet and grimaced seeing Michael striding towards them, Marella by his side.

'Somebody isn't a happy bunny.' Dom commented.

'Yeah.' Hawke agreed.

They all climbed out.

'Do you do these things just to make my life more difficult or is it a gift?' Michael snapped as soon as he got close enough.

'It's a gift.' Hawke shot back.

'Michael,' Marella broke into the exchange. She gave him a meaningful look.

'Right.' Michael smoothed his moustache. 'We found the HX-2.'

'Where?' Hawke asked as they all started walking out of the hangar.

'Somewhere warm I hope.' Dom added.

'It's here in California,' Marella replied.

'And we have to keep it that way.' Michael said. 'She was apparently stolen by a group of mercenaries.'

'These guys have no political affiliation.' Marella continued. 'We think they're planning to sell her to the highest bidder.'

'We have to stop that from happening.' Michael added. He gestured with his cane. 'There's a strategy session in the general's office'

'Lead on.' Hawke said pleased to be getting on with the mission.

It took a few hours before General Kendry, Michael and Hawke had a plan all three of them could live with. Hawke would lead a small team into the abandoned airfield where the HX-2 was being kept and attempt to recover her. Airwolf would provide a distraction to give Hawke and the team time to get to the helicopter. A team of airforce pilots would provide additional air support. They adjourned to the briefing room where Hawke handed out the assignments. The mission was scheduled for that evening as soon as it got dark and the rest of the day was spent in preparation.

Hawke strode over to Airwolf where the others were waiting. He adjusted the jacket he was wearing and as he got closer to the group, he noticed how Caitlin's fingers were nervously twisting together.

Michael straightened. 'Are you ready?'

Hawke shrugged.

'We'll be right behind you.' Dom assured him before pulling Hawke in for a quick hug.

Hawke patted his back and released him. He turned to his wife.

Caitlin went into his arms readily. 'Be safe.'

'You too.' He kissed her before he stepped back.

'Good luck.' Michael added as Hawke made to leave. The pilot gave a short nod of acknowledgement and headed out of the hangar to a chopper waiting to transport the ground team into place.

Dom tapped Airwolf's nose lightly. 'Come on, Cait. We'd better get airborne.'

Caitlin nodded.

'We'll leave you to it.' Michael agreed pushing his glasses back up his nose. 'Good luck.' He and Marella started to make their way out of the hangar.

Dom nodded and took a step towards Airwolf. A noise at the hangar door stopped him. General Kendry walked in with a group of airmen. His entry caused Michael and Marella to pause and turn around.

Dom and Caitlin exchanged an anxious look at the intent look on Kendry's face.

'Get in the Lady, Cait.' Dom said in a low voice, his dark eyes watching the General carefully.

Caitlin took a step towards the helicopter when the sight of a number of rifles suddenly being aimed at her caused her to freeze.

'What is this?' Michael spluttered in disbelief as he and Marella were directed back to stand with the rest of the Airwolf team.

'I'm putting you and your team under arrest.' General Kendry bared his teeth. 'I'm sure the Pentagon will thank me for recovering both Airwolf and the HX-2.'

'Now just wait a minute buddy,' Dom said furiously, 'String is counting on us coming for him.'

'There are airforce jets to provide air cover and if he is successful at recovering the HX-2, then he will be arrested on his return.' Kendry stated.

'You can't do this.' Michael stated heatedly.

'I think the General already has.' The smooth voice had Michael spinning to meet its owner.

'Merrick.' The spy bit out angrily taking in the other man and the accompanying FIRM agents. 'I might have known it was you.'

'I'm a bit disappointed that you didn't work it out sooner, Archangel.' Merrick smiled superciliously. 'But then your instincts are getting blunted in your…old age.'

'Guards, take them into custody.' Kendry ordered.

Merrick stepped in front of the airmen and signalled to the agents who drew their guns. 'I'll be taking custody of the prisoners.'

'That wasn't our agreement.' Kendry barked.

'I'm afraid I'm changing our agreement.' Merrick said.

'I'd like to see you try.' Kendry nodded at his own men.

Merrick sighed. 'General, even now my men should have the HX-2 and Hawke. If you want your toy back, I suggest you play ball and give me the Airwolf team.'

'You set up the HX-2 sting,' Marella deduced, 'to draw out Airwolf.'

'I knew Archangel would call on his friend Hawke to help him with the theft of an advanced helicopter.' Merrick smirked. 'He wouldn't be able to resist it.'

'You stole the HX-2?' Kendry said.

Merrick shrugged. 'What's your answer, General?'

Kendry bared his teeth. 'The HX-2 will be in my hands in another fifteen minutes.'

'Then let's wait.' Merrick said.

For the Airwolf team, the fifteen minutes seemed like hours and they were relieved to see a young airman appear. He ran up to the general and saluted smartly.

'Sir! I have an update on the HX-2 situation, sir!'

'Report.' Kendry ordered.

'Sir, our chopper was reported as being attacked on the approach and the team are no longer responding. We think they are dead, sir!'

'No!' Dom's denial was automatic and heartfelt. He clutched at Caitlin who had gone white under her freckles. Marella put her own arm around the younger woman as she swayed a little.

Michael glowered pushing his own devastation over Hawke's death aside ruthlessly to try and find a way out; he knew he would pay for it later. 'You've gone too far, Merrick.'

Merrick was frowning and gestured at one of his men. He took the phone from the proffered briefcase. 'Giraldo, what is going on?' He scowled. 'You've been paid handsome…I see.' He put the phone down.

Michael exchanged a knowing look with Marella. 'What's the matter, Merrick? Your mercenaries double-crossing you?'

Merrick shrugged. 'I still have you and I still have that.' He stabbed a finger at Airwolf.

'You've lost control, Merrick.' Michael stated. 'You're not getting the HX-2 back. You have no leverage over the general.'

'If you let us go, General Kendry, we still have a chance to recover the HX-2.' Marella added.

Kendry scowled ferociously. 'Anybody moves; shoot them.' His brown eyes took in Merrick and his men. 'All of them.' He turned to leave.

'Your men might not be dead, General.' Michael shouted desperately. 'We should investigate the situation.'

Kendry whirled back to the spy. 'I will investigate.'

'Now look, buddy…' Dom rushed forward to grab hold of Kendry's arm.

The shot hit Dom's right arm and spun him backwards into Michael. The spy staggered and it was only with Marella's help that they all managed to remain upright.

Airwolf powered up and the sound of the engines along with the chaos of the shooting provided Caitlin with the opportunity she needed. With a strength of will she didn't know she possessed, Caitlin moved in a blur to grab Kendry. She got him in a hold and her gun was at his throat before anyone could do more than stare.

The hangar fell silent.

'Everyone put their weapons down. Now.' Caitlin yelled, her blue-green eyes scanning the determined faces of the airforce personnel and Merrick's men. Her three friends looked on in shock as she shoved the gun harder into the vulnerable area of the general's neck. 'I said put them down.'

'Do it.' Kendry gasped.

Michael drew his own weapon and trained it on Merrick. 'I would do as she says.'

Reluctantly one by one the weapons were put on the floor. Caitlin nodded at the others to get into Airwolf and started to walk backwards towards the helicopter, keeping hold of the general. Michael and Marella helped Dom who was pressing his hand into the bloody gash on his arm in a fruitless attempt to stop the bleeding.

'You won't get away with this.' The general growled.

Caitlin didn't bother to answer. Airwolf's door was open and waiting for her. She pushed the general away from her and dived for Airwolf. Her door closed and she heard the automatic lock click into place.

'Deploy weapons.' She barked.

Dom's face was grey, sweat pouring down his craggy features under the helmet. He reached for the button and pressed it leaving a bloody smear across the console.

Caitlin fired off a barrage from the guns as a warning as some of the more heroic guys started to reach for their weapons.

'How are you planning to get out of here?' Michael asked beside her, his tone revealing nothing more than mild curiosity. She glanced back. Dom had one hand clamped around the wound on his other arm; he wasn't going to be able to work the console and take control of the hangar roof. She sighed and swung Airwolf around to face the closed hangar door. She opened up communications and gave everyone a ten second warning to clear the area. She fired a missile and took out the hangar door with a contained blast.

'Turbos.' She ordered.

Marella reached for the lever when Dom struggled and she confirmed the order. Caitlin hit the trigger and they zoomed forward on the ground; people dived for cover in front of them; as soon as they were clear of the hangar, she took to the night air and raced away from Jackson.

Michael breathed a sigh of relief and glanced back. Marella was tending to Dom's wound.

'How're you doing Dom?' Caitlin asked.

'I'm OK.' Dom said. 'Just a bad graze.'

She risked a quick look at him and her heart sank at his ashen expression. 'You need a hospital, Dom.'

'Take us to the FIRM headquarters. It's closer.' Michael said. 'We'll be able to get Dom medical attention there.'

'I'll drop you off.' Caitlin said adjusting her course.

'And then what?' Michael asked.

'I'm going after Hawke. I don't believe he's dead.' She said pretending a confidence she didn't feel. 'He was wearing a tracer in case something like this happened. I should be able to track him.'

'I'll come with you.' Dom insisted. 'You can't do that alone.'

'Dom, you need medical attention.' Caitlin said firmly.

'But he has a point.' Michael said. 'We still have the HX-2 to worry about and until I sort out this thing with Kendry and Merrick, the airforce will have orders to destroy Airwolf. Are you really up to taking that on alone?' He didn't mention her pregnancy.

Caitlin sighed. 'I don't really have a choice.'

'I could stay.' Marella offered. 'I'd be able to get Hawke whilst you provide a distraction.'

'OK.' Caitlin agreed.

'Now wait…' Michael began.

'Sir, you'll be needed at HQ to resolve the issues General Kendry's and Merrick's actions have prompted.' Marella pointed out. 'It makes sense for me to accompany Caitlin.'

Michael closed his mouth and sighed. A few minutes later, he sighed again as he watched Airwolf leave the FIRM's helipad and head for the sky. He turned back to the medics and walked with the stretcher carrying a protesting Dom into the headquarters building. He had some calls to make.

'Let's go over the plan again.' Caitlin said to Marella as the turbos kicked in again. 'When we get a lock on Hawke, you'll go and get him, I'll provide a distraction until I can pick you both up. Then if we can, we'll destroy the HX-2.'

'Sounds good to me.' Marella stated.

Caitlin glanced over her shoulder and the two women smiled at each other before Caitlin returned her attention to the front.

'I didn't know you could fly Airwolf.' Marella said.

'The guys wanted to keep it quiet.' Caitlin replied. 'It makes sense to, I guess.' She checked her heading. 'OK. Start the running the scans.' She instructed as they passed over the airfield.

Marella followed her instructions, a tiny part of her gleeful that she was actually sitting in Airwolf as part of the crew. 'Got him.'

Caitlin snapped some more directions at her and Marella narrowed the scans to get an exact location. 'There's a convoy of trucks and cars heading south. Hawke's tracer is in the second car. I…uh…I think he's in the trunk but he's alive.'

'Deploy weapons. Give me turbos.' Caitlin adjusted their course and they shot across the sky like a bullet.

'Caitlin, I have jets on the radar, moving in fast.' Marella noted crisply.

'Ignore them.' Caitlin fired a missile and took out the lead car. The convoy screeched to a halt. She circled back and took out another car. She used the smoke to cover Marella's jump from Airwolf to the ground. Caitlin floated Airwolf to the left just as two missiles struck the ground near to her previous position.

'Airwolf, this is Cortez. We have orders to shoot any aircraft in the vicinity of the convoy. You are advised to get the hell out of the way. Over.'

'Thanks for the heads up.' Caitlin returned and took out another truck.

Hawke could hear explosions. He frowned. Airwolf. He could hear the distinctive whine of her engines even through the metal car. He gave a sigh of relief. He'd managed to get the crippled helicopter onto the ground when they'd been shot down but he'd been knocked unconscious by one of the mercenaries and had woken to find himself in the trunk of the car. He didn't know what had delayed Dom and Caitlin but he had known they'd come for him. He twisted in his cramped position and tried to free his hands from the duct tape but only succeeding in tightening the bonds. He started as a shot hit the trunk and the lid popped open.

He felt rather than saw hands grabbing him, pulling him out of the tight space and into the fresh air. He gulped it greedily as he staggered from the trunk and onto the floor. He saw Marella immediately and she didn't waste time, she cut his hands free whilst he checked the sky and saw Airwolf dodge another missile to draw level to them. He absently noted the HX-2 taking to the sky and the jets circling overhead like vultures as he ran for Airwolf. He opened the pilot's door and climbed in. Caitlin moved to the engineer's console as Marella climbed into the front passenger seat.

Hawke didn't waste time as he grasped the controls. He moved them back and called for the turbos as a missile hit the ground in front of them. Caitlin confirmed the order.

'Anybody want to explain why the airforce is shooting at us?' He asked accelerating into a steep climb.

'Kendry conspired with Merrick to arrest us all.' Caitlin said punching in some buttons.

'Caitlin got us out but Dom was injured.' Marella added. 'He's OK. Michael's taking care of it but until the airforce pilots get new orders...'

'Hawke, the HX-2 is airborne and has damaged one of the jets. It's going down. He has a lock on another.' Caitlin noted.

Hawke sighed. 'Our orders still to take out the HX-2?'

'Yes.' Marella confirmed.

Hawke turned Airwolf and dived. He zipped between the airforce jet and the HX-2 picking up the missile the HX-2 had intended for the jet. Caitlin began the rundown to when the missile would strike them. Hawke kept the missile close and flew around the convoy to come back at the HX-2 from the opposite direction. He flew directly at the other helicopter. Another missile was fired at them; Hawke shot it down. At the very last minute, he fired a couple of missile at point blank range into the HX-2 and whipped past her as she exploded; Airwolf's belly skimming the flames. The missile following them impacted into the flaming ball.

'Incoming.' Caitlin said calmly as one of the airforce jets tried to destroy them. 'Deploying sunburst.'

The sunburst caught the missile head on.

'Raise our radar suppression. Turbos. Let's get out of here.' Hawke said. They evaded the jets with ease and were soon heading away into the clear night sky.