'How's he doing?' Michael asked Dom quietly as he offered the older man a mug of coffee. They were using Patrick O'Shaunessy's study as it offered them some privacy from the family. After he finished listening to Dom's account of their findings out by the access road, he was glad he'd taken the decision. Although they'd managed to get the more extended members out of the house, those who remained didn't need to know all the gory details. He instructed Charleston to get a team out to the spot Dom had marked immediately. They needed to know if the blood was Caitlin's.

Dom shook his head at Michael's question, his worry deepening the lines on his face accentuating the craggy features as he took a gulp of his drink. 'Not good. He barely said a word on the way back. He's outside.' He sighed heavily. 'If anything's happened to her…' His gruff voice trailed away.

Michael fingered his own drink and wondered when he'd last felt this helpless. 'Damn. I wish they would just call.'

'Have you managed to trace the first call?' Dom asked.

Marella shook her head, the short dark curls bouncing. 'Dead end. We narrowed it to Texas.'

'It's like…like they planned for every contingency.'

'They've been organised and thorough.' Michael agreed. 'And this waiting is the best way to keep us off balance.'

Dom questioned him with a raised eyebrow.

'We don't know if she's alive or dead. What they want. We can't plan for how we'll get her back. All we have are unknowns.' Michael saw Dom's eyes glance out of the window. 'That's why he's taking it so hard, Dominic. If he had a solution to focus on…'

Dom scanned Michael's face. 'You're worried.'

'This is like a slow form of torture for him, Dominic. He's lived for years without knowing what happened to Saint John and now he doesn't know what's happened to his pregnant wife? There's a limit to what anyone can take.'

'He'll hold together, Michael.' Dom assured him, not giving in to the buried fear the other man was right.

'If they don't call tonight, maybe.' Marella agreed. 'But the next day or the day after?'

Dom's eyes widened. 'You're worried that they won't call at all?'

'Can you think of a better way to destroy him, Dominic?' Michael admitted. 'Because I've been sat here for the last hour struggling to think of one.'

'My God, Michael.'

Outside, Hawke was perched on a paddock fence oblivious to his friends' conversation. He was looking at the waning afternoon sun and trying hard to push the image of the blood-stained grass out of his head. You have to be alright, Caitlin, Hawke thought, you have to be alright. His head was filled with memories of her; cheering her up with music outside the cabin, her first missions in Airwolf, glancing across the cockpit and seeing her steadfast in the seat next to him. One memory bubbled to the surface of the others; their first kiss…

'Rehearsal people.' The director, Carlson, was shouting for people to settle. He ushered Caitlin and then Hawke onto their marks. 'Now this is a pick up from where the stars left off. It's right before your big air act so Hawke and Ca…Caitlin? This is your last moment together…so hold her.' He literally threw Caitlin into Hawke's arms.

'Oh joy.' Caitlin murmured wriggling.

Hawke smiled and adjusted his grip, taking better hold of her. 'Aw go on you're gonna miss me.'

She responded to the banter and smiled back at him. 'Oh like a toothache.'

'Right now say goodbye and kiss her.' Their heads whipped round to Carlson who grinned back at them. 'Remember we're trying to match this with the star's exit.' They both stood staring at the man. Hawke narrowed his eyes. He had a feeling this was the idiot's way of getting back at him for an earlier crack.

Carlson was motioning for them to get on with it. 'Do it!'

Hawke and Caitlin looked at each other. It was an uncomfortable look. Hawke figured there was some chemistry between them but their friendship was brand new. He eased back and let her set the pace. She ducked under the rim of his hat and there was the merest brush of lips before she moved away, giving him a business-like pat on the shoulder and turning to look at the director. Hawke suppressed the urge to laugh.

'Ah let's walk through this again.' Carlson was making pleading gestures. 'Come on let's have some feeling in it.'

Hawke and Caitlin looked at each other again. He raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled resignedly. 'You do and I'll bite your lip.'

He smiled and pulled her closer, she relaxed into him. They were still smiling when their lips settled. Chemistry. Hawke forgot about the movie as she responded to him; he forgot about the director and he forgot it was supposed to be pretend, angling his mouth across hers to deepen the kiss.

Something was patting him on his back, nudging him. Awareness came back in a jolt and had the two of them stumbling out of the kiss a little shell-shocked as Carlson broke them apart. He ushered them to the next set of marks. Hawke took a deep breath and tuned in to the director explaining the context for the aerial stunt. That's all this was; a stunt; a scene in a movie. That's all she had thought it was; and it's all you're going to, he told himself sternly.

'Alright now Caitlin this is where you're flying in to rescue your war correspondent boyfriend and suddenly bang.'

'I got it.'

Hawke watched her amused. He had to give it to her, she had bravado.

'You got it. The revolutionaries shoot and suddenly you're hit. Then you spin around a couple of times, you land behind that building and Whitey's going to send up a fireball so we all think you're blown to smithereens. You got it?' Carlson asked without waiting for her answer.

'Like I said, piece of cake.'

A lot of bravado.

'Piece of cake huh?' Hawke asked as Carlson left and she finally met his eyes.

'I'm scared to death.' It had taken a lot for her to admit it, Hawke realised but she needed to get some of that bravado back if she was going to complete the stunt. He carefully judged what he needed to say to her, putting his hands on her shoulders and rubbing them as he told her to take it easy and play it safe. He saw the fear receding from her eyes. He dropped his hands.

'…and make sure you get back in one piece in case they need a second take.' He ended with a smile.

'Very funny.' Caitlin smiled back at him…

Hawke blinked back the tears that pricked at his eyes. He climbed off the fence as he heard someone approaching.

Dom barrelled around the front of Airwolf. 'Michael wanted to go over what we have.' He said softly, clasping Hawke's shoulder.

Hawke nodded and they headed indoors. He was just opening the study door when the phone began to ring. He pushed the door wide open and was at the desk in a heartbeat. He glanced at Michael and they picked up two extensions simultaneously. Dom and Marella stood nervously to one side as Charleston and others came flooding into the room.

'Hello.' Michael said, opening the conversation.

'Who are you?' A man's voice, gravelly as though roughened with cigarette smoking, crackled over the line.

'You can call me Archangel. Who am I speaking with?'

'You don't need to know who I am.' He sounded amused. 'All you need to know is that I want one million dollars in unmarked bills or the lady here is a long time dead. Keep waiting. I'll call again with the details of the exchange.'

'Wait.' Michael demanded. 'How do I know you haven't already killed her?'

'What do you want?'

'I want to speak with Caitlin.'

'If I hear one thing this end I'm unhappy with, this conversation will end.' There were sounds of movement at the other end.

'Hello?' Caitlin's voice trembled over the line. Hawke felt his gut clench. She sounded scared.

'I'm here.' Hawke spoke before Michael could. 'Are you OK?'

'I'm…I'm OK.' Hawke didn't like the hesitation in her voice or the way it shook with tears. He forced himself to ask questions.

'Is this guy on his own?'

'No, I'm being treated well in lots of ways. I'm just worried about my horse Morning Star.' Her voice had steadied as she gave the information back in the only way she could; buried in code. Hawke ignored Michael's puzzled look about the horse.

'Caitlin, we don't think they're really after the money.'

'No. I miss the Lady too.' She paused, dropping her voice to almost a whisper. 'I just don't want to end up like Grace.'

Hawke stiffened; his expression went blank with fury. She'd just told them who was behind it all. 'Can you tell me anything else? Any clue to where you are?'

'Only my horse…Hawke, I'm so sorry.'

'It's OK.' Hawke swallowed hard. 'Caitlin, you remember what I told you before your first stunt?'

'I remember.' She sounded like she was crying now.

'I'll come for you, Caitlin, I promise…' Hawke broke off as there was the sound of a cry and a struggle. The line went dead.

Hawke called out her name desperately but it was too late. 'Damn!' He slammed the phone down with a crash. Michael replaced his receiver with slightly less temper. His good eye met Hawke's in total understanding of what she'd told them.

'What? What?' Dom asked unable to bear the wait and the silence.

Michael turned to look into Dom's worried eyes. 'John Bradford Horn has Caitlin.'

'Horn has Caitlin?' Dom asked in disbelief.

'He has Caitlin.' Hawke confirmed grimly.

Hawke left Michael to explain about Horn to the FBI and the bewildered O'Shaunessy family. Everyone vaguely knew the potted criminal history thanks to Horn being national news a few years before; most people remembered that he was a crook, one that cheated corporations and governments but still a crook. What they didn't know was that he was a megalomaniac with an obsession to own his own country by taking over someone else's with Airwolf. His first attempt at taking the helicopter had left the Airwolf team bruised and battered; Hawke had come to terms with how Horn had brainwashed him and how he'd only survived because of the determination of Dom, and particularly Caitlin, to free him. The second and last run-in had left a woman called Grace dead; caught in the crossfire between the two sides. Caitlin's clue to her captor had a certain macabre poignancy given the circumstances.

Hawke subsided into a chair by the desk and ignored the mass of people around him. He reached forward, picked up a pen and played with it as he mulled over the rest of information that Caitlin had supplied; his eyes and thoughts turning inwards.

Hawke frowned. Horn would have her well guarded hence Caitlin's confirmation the guy wasn't on his own. He wouldn't take the risk of Airwolf turning up and rescuing her even in the early part of this game. Horn was a master at game-playing and he understood games sometimes went wrong early; he would have planned for it. But how was Horn going to move from the kidnapping for money to a demand for Airwolf? He wasn't, Hawke concluded. Horn was going to make a play for Airwolf at the exchange. That had to be it. He would assume that Hawke would take Airwolf for the exchange and he was guaranteed at that point in time to have something that Hawke would trade Airwolf, and his own life, for. If they had gone into the exchange unsuspecting…hell, even going in suspecting was going to need a serious strategy to get them through it.

If they only know the location…Hawke frowned. Caitlin had called her horse Morning Star and she'd mentioned the horse again when he'd asked her about location; but that wasn't the horse's name. He looked up from his musings and found everyone except Caitlin's father, Michael and Dom had left the room. He raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Michael.

'I've told the FBI we're going to have a closed strategy. They'll work on every other aspect of the case but what we're going to do to recover her.' Michael tapped his cane on the floor. 'Marella's gone to pick up the money.' His gaze slid to Patrick, the look suggesting the other man remaining was against his better judgement. Hawke had the feeling he'd missed an argument whilst he'd been tuned out.

'You really think Horn has someone on payroll?' Dom asked.

'I'm not taking the chance.' Michael gestured at Hawke. 'What have you got?'

Hawke sighed. 'Horn will try to make the trade for Airwolf at the ransom exchange. It's the only thing that makes sense.'

'What about finding her before then?' Michael asked.

'Horn has her well guarded. He'd anticipate a pre-emptive rescue.' Hawke noted. 'Plus it's a lot riskier. He'd probably see us coming.'

'You could be facing a whole army.' Michael agreed.

Hawke nodded. 'I think our best bet is the ransom exchange when he's vulnerable and in the open. I also think Caitlin was trying to tell us something else…'

'What?' Dom asked.

'Patrick, Caitlin's horse is called White Star, right?' He asked.

His father-in-law nodded. 'White Star, that's right.'

'But she called the horse Morning Star on the phone.' Michael said, a finger pressed against his moustache. 'What did she mean?'

'I think she was saying she's east of here.' Hawke glanced around the room and his eyes fell on the wall map of the local area on the side wall. He got up and went over it.

'OK. Caitlin was taken here.' Hawke pointed at the spot he and Dom had found. 'Directly east would take us out here.'

'She has to be somewhere close for the ransom exchange site not to raise too many questions.' Michael said joining him on one side.

'But far enough that we might need to use Airwolf to get there in time.' Dom suggested coming up on the other.

Hawke made an invisible circle on the map with his finger. 'That would put us somewhere here.'

'That's all old drilling country. It's pretty wild up there.' Patrick said joining them. 'There are plenty of shacks and old buildings to stow someone in for a couple of days. It would make sense.' He reluctantly admitted. 'There are only two places though that would make sense for a ransom drop.' He pointed at them. 'North Bull Point and Dead Man's Hollow.'

'What pleasant names you have for places here.' Michael commented.

'Horn will go for Dead Man's Hollow. It'll appeal to his sense of humour and sense of the dramatic.' Hawke said stepping back to lean against the desk, crossing his legs and his arms. He brought his blue eyes to meet Patrick's. 'What can you tell us?'

Patrick sighed. 'The Hollow is a dip between two ridges, some kind of natural formation. The Native Americans used to use it to drive unsuspecting enemies or prey into the dip and then surround them.'

'String, that must be what Horn's going to do.' Dom said. 'Get us into the dip and then…'

'I agree.' Hawke said.

'So how do we stop him?' Michael asked.

Hawke's eyes gleamed. 'I have a plan.' He started to take them through what he was thinking, refining with their suggestions and comments. They were finishing when a knock at the door had them all turning. It was Maggie.

'There's some dinner waiting on you.' She said.

'You all go ahead.' Hawke said. 'I'm not hungry.'

'You have to eat, String.' Dom said concerned.

'He's right, son.' Patrick slapped a hand onto his shoulder. 'I don't want you fainting in the middle of rescuing my daughter. Come and eat.'

Before he knew what was happening, Hawke was sat at the large dining table with the rest of the O'Shaunessy clan. They said a brief grace with a special prayer for Caitlin that closed his eyes on a wave of emotion. When he reopened them it was to a chaos of noise and passing plates. He glanced over at Dom who was fitting right in, regaling Caitlin's eldest brother with some story. His eyes moved down the table to Michael; he was sat talking to Patrick at the other end. Hawke returned his attention to his plate.

'Is everything all right?' Maggie's eyes shone back at him with maternal concern.

'Yes. Thank you.' Hawke reassured her, taking a mouthful of food. Erin distracted her mother and he gratefully just concentrated on eating. His stomach was thankful for the food even if he had no appetite for it. He cleared his plate and wondered if it would be rude to leave. He fiddled with the stem of his water glass.

'Can I ask you a question?' Maggie asked suddenly. He nodded, noting Erin's apologetic look across the table.

'When you were talking to Caitlin,' the rest of the table fell silent at the comment, other discussions petering out, 'you asked her to remember what you said to her before she did her first stunt. I was wondering what that was.' Maggie said earnestly.

Hawke tried not to squirm as all eyes turned in his direction. He gestured. 'I just told her to take it easy, play it safe and...' His throat closed on the final part.

'And?' Maggie prompted him.

'To come back in one piece.' Hawke shoved his chair back. 'Excuse me.' He didn't look back at the table. He didn't see the look of pain on Dom's face or the sad realisation on Michael's as they both immediately understood what Hawke had done; he'd asked Caitlin not to die on him.

There was nothing else to do but wait. The house retired to bed reluctantly. Hawke lay awake in Caitlin's old room staring sightlessly at the ceiling. Dom's snores filled the dark silence on the opposite side of the room. Hawke closed his eyes. He needed rest but sleep eluded him. He got to his feet, dressed and slipped from the room, from the house. He opened up Airwolf and climbed inside the cocoon of her cockpit. He looked out into the night and he found himself drifting back to another memory…

His first thought was he couldn't breathe. Something was pinning him down, a weight across his chest. He tried to move and his body did nothing. Panic. What the hell was wrong with him? He struggled past the fuzziness in his head – had he been drinking? – and focused on a sound; crying, a woman was weeping. His body reacted to his instinctive need to move; a shudder but it was movement.

'Hawke?'

His choked name helped give his woolly mind an anchor and then there was relief as the weight shifted from him. He felt a draught of air and managed a breath before the warmth resettled further up his body, a hand on his shoulder to nudge him awake. His eyes opened blearily. He blinked. Carpet. What the hell was he doing on the floor?

'Hawke?'

His name again, the voice more insistent this time. His racing heart settled a little as he recognised it. There was a strange urge to check as if he didn't trust himself. He raised his head – God, the pain - and her face swam into view. His hand reached up automatically to comfort even before his brain fully registered the reddened eyes, pink-tipped nose. He stroked her wet cheek.

'Cait?'

She was nodding. Why had she been crying? What was wrong? He shuffled, shifting them until he was sat up on shaking arms, his head jerked sharply from corner to corner as he took in the room they were in. Remembrance came flooding back to him. John Bradford Horn. He'd been captured by John Bradford Horn. Brainwashed. Kept like a rat in a cage in this room in his laboratory.

'Are you all right?' The quiet words brought his attention back to Caitlin. She was looking at him warily…why would she be wary of him? A memory surfaced, stole his breath and a moan of horror escaped him. He slumped back on his weak arms.

'What?' Caitlin asked urgently as he struggled for breath, his eyes filling with tears. 'What?' She was reaching out to steady him even as he was grabbing hold of her in pure panic, forcing the words out; he had to know.

'I killed Dom?' Even as he heard Caitlin deny it his head filled with flashes of memory like a kaleidoscope of pictures; aiming the gun, firing the trigger; Dom falling to the ground. 'I killed Dom?'

The vehemence in her voice as she told him 'no' again, finally got through his terror and guilt and he focused on her words, taking a deep breath and then another as his mind tried to make sense of them.

'He's in a cell here. Your gun was filled with tranquilisers.' Dom was alive. Relief flooded him. Was she sure? His eyes met hers and she read his unasked question, quietly reassuring him with softly spoken words that she'd seen him. Honest. His cop was honest. She wouldn't lie to him.

He kept holding onto her, grateful for her hands on his shoulders; he felt adrift, his mind still filled with cotton wool and she was the only thing to cling to as the past few days came flooding over him.

'Hawke, who is this guy Horn?' Caitlin shook him a little, bringing him back to her. He tried to make his brain work, tried to answer her question.

'It was all over the news a couple of years ago…he built things but didn't…high rises that didn't built…oil wells that didn't get drilled and government contracts that didn't get done and I don't know…'

'Right. The government had him up for a grand jury indictment.' He almost smiled he might know Caitlin who devoured the news every day would make the connection. 'He disappeared.' She added as he agreed with her. 'What does he want with you?' Her voice was plaintive, confused.

Another memory of Horn; he was informing him that he needed Hawke for...'An Airwolf mission.' He said aloud. He shook his head, winced at the ache, receding now as the pieces settled into place; John Bradford Horn had captured and brainwashed him so he could use him and Airwolf. How the hell had he come out of it? Another memory; his eyes shot to Caitlin. He'd attacked her – he flushed remembering throwing her against the wall and dropped his gaze unable to look at her. She had injected him with something…something that had obviously brought him back to himself. He shook his head again. He was himself again but they were all still in the web Horn had created; he murmured what he was thinking, 'I've got to find a way…' his eyes reconnected with Caitlin's, an unspoken apology as he squeezed her shoulder, 'I've got to find a way to get us all out of here.'

She smiled back at him, her confidence in him shining from her like a homing beacon and corrected him gently but firmly; 'We will.'

The first rays of light hit the cockpit and brought Hawke awake with a jerk. He rolled his shoulders and rubbed the ache in the back of his neck. He glanced across the cockpit and his heart gave a jolt. Dom was sat there, his arms folded, his chin on his chest. He must have come looking for him in the night. Hawke swallowed on the lump in his throat. God but he loved the old guy.

'Hey.' Dom's gruff voice was heavy with sleep.

'Hey,' said Hawke, his eyes were apologetic as they met Dom's. 'I didn't mean to disturb you...'

'I know, kid.' Dom smiled. 'I kinda prefer sleeping in our baby anyway.'

Hawke glanced at his watch. Six. They were up early on the ranch and in the distance he could hear the whistles and cries of the men as they headed out to check on the cattle. Dom and Hawke headed in for breakfast and washes.

The ranch-house was humming with the every day activity, the family and their guests trying to ignore the worried undertow of what would happen when the phone rang, trying to ignore that they were all waiting for the phone to ring. Eventually Hawke couldn't stand it; he'd had to get out.

Hawke took a sip of the coffee he'd brought with him, leaned back against Airwolf's wing like a baby bird into the wing of its mother and raised his face to the morning sunlight, closing his eyes. His ears pricked up at the sound of an engine. The white limo stopped beside the helicopter. Hawke heard the snick of stilettos on the dirt of the parking lot, coming towards him. He sighed and opened his eyes to greet Marella.

The dark-haired agent came to stand next to him, one hand folded over her purse, the other holding the ubiquitous briefcase. 'Hawke.'

'Marella.'

'How are you doing?' She asked.

Hawke shrugged under the genuine concern in her brown eyes.

'We will find her Hawke.'

He sighed. 'Is that a guarantee, Marella?'

She looked away. 'Is there anything I can do?'

Hawke pushed away from Airwolf. 'You're doing it Marella.' He gave her arm a comforting pat. 'I'll show you where Michael is.'

Michael straightened as Hawke entered the study with Marella. His attention briefly settled on Marella before it returned to the pilot. Hawke walked over to the desk joining Michael and Dom; his face was an impassive mask, completely expressionless. He looked and moved, thought Michael, like a caged lion.

'Anything?' Hawke asked motioning at the phone with his mug.

'We would have called you in.' Michael took the mug from him, poured another measure of coffee from the pot on the desk and handed it back to him. 'You know why don't you try and get some rest? We can watch the phones.'

Hawke ignored him and folded himself into a chair. He wrapped his hands around the mug and stared at the black depths of the liquid brew trying to keep his mind from replaying the panic and fear he had heard in Caitlin's voice the day before, barely aware that the others were sharing his vigil.

It was almost noon when the harsh jangle of the phone had Hawke and Michael leaping back to their feet. They went through the same routine, picking up extensions simultaneously; Michael taking the lead with the kidnapper.

'Let's cut the pleasantries and get to the point.' The man at the other end said.

'Suits me.' Michael returned.

'Dead Man's Hollow at noon today. Her husband can bring the money with his friend, Santini. Nobody else. I see anybody else and she's dead. Got it?'

'Dead Man's Hollow, noon today. I got it. I want to speak to her again.'

'No.'

'I want to speak to her or this isn't happening.' Michael said forcefully.

'Fine.' There was audible movement on the other hand of the phone.

'Hello?' Caitlin's voice drifted down the line.

'Caitlin,' Hawke breathed a sigh of relief; she was still OK, 'listen carefully. We know the exchange is a trap. Just follow my lead, OK?'

'OK.' Caitlin confirmed tremulously before there was the sound of the phone being taken from her.

'So you've spoken with her. Now listen up. When they get to the Hollow, they need to wait. She will be returned to them in a chopper. We'll do the exchange and we'll both leave happy.'

'Understood.' Michael said and the line went dead. He and Hawke replaced the receivers. Hawke immediately moved for the door where Dom waited with the money in a briefcase, anxious to get going; they would barely make the drop in time even in Airwolf.

'Good luck.' Michael called after them; the two men didn't look back.

Hawke took Airwolf up and into the endless blue sky, his heart beating with anticipation. He would see Caitlin again and she would be fine. She had to be. It was the only outcome he'd entertain.

'We're coming up on the co-ordinates now, String.' Dom sat monitoring Airwolf's engines the same uncharacteristic dread clutching at his stomach as it had the last time they had flown to a rendezvous with Horn. 'He's got a whole army out there String.' Alarm coated every word as Dom registered the number of men and weapons on his monitor. 'They're in positions surrounding the ridge, out of line of sight.'

Hawke searched out a spot in Dead Man's Hollow for a landing, turned the switch for the landing gear and set Airwolf down gently. He stared out at the empty stretch of dust and brush-grass in front of them and then to the surrounding hill-tops.

'Is the security programme Michael gave us active?' Hawke asked.

'All set. Anyone tries to access the system with an incorrect password and the Airwolf will initiate her self-preservation code.'

'You ready then Dom?' Hawke asked.

'Will you take no for an answer?'

'Sure.' Hawke opened his door and stepped out. Dom followed him, the briefcase of money in his hand. They walked to stand in front of Airwolf and waited.

Hawke's head cocked. A chopper coming in. He straightened; kept his arms loose at his sides, ready for action. The helicopter swooped low and lowered itself into a position at the opposite end of the Hollow. It would be a good five minute walk to the aircraft from Airwolf. Other sounds; vehicles approaching, movement on the hillside and the ridges suddenly filled with snipers, their guns pointed at the two men standing exposed in front of Airwolf. Horn had been watching way too many films, Hawke thought.

His cold blue gaze narrowed on the lead car as it drew up. He ignored the way his heart was pounding loud in his ears. A chauffeur alighted and opened the rear door. John Bradford Horn emerged from the depths of the back seat and every muscle in Hawke's body tensed. Horn smiled and did up the top button of his jacket, straightened the cuffs of his crisp linen shirt as his daughter climbed out to stand beside him and his guard flanked him. His cold reptilian eyes never left Hawke's.

'Very prompt, Stringfellow.' Horn smiled more broadly.

'Horn.' Hawke snapped back.

'No 'surprised to see you?'' Horn shook his head sadly. 'Your understatement of my involvement is understated even for you.'

'Where's Caitlin?' Hawke folded his arms and stared into Horn's soulless eyes.

'We'll get to your wife in good time, Stringfellow. You remember my daughter?' Horn goaded.

Hawke's eyes briefly flickered to the woman who had betrayed him so comprehensively enabling his capture and brainwashing; the one Caitlin had saved him from. He moved his stare back to Horn's smooth features. 'I want my wife.'

A muscle twitched in Horn's face and he motioned at a guard who muttered something into a walkie-talkie. Hawke shifted to get a better view and held his breath as the doors of the chopper opened. Caitlin climbed out unaided but was quickly surrounded by guards. She looked bedraggled dressed in a simple blue flight suit, her red hair streaming in the slight breeze and her hands tied in front of her. Although Hawke was too far way to judge fully, it didn't appear that she was injured and he began to breathe again.

Caitlin's eyes searched for him and as they caught his concerned gaze across the expanse of land. His breath caught again in his throat. She was wearing that false façade of bravado that was as much a part of her as her Texan accent but it was the love and trust shining from her eyes that staggered him.

He felt his heart start to beat normally as a calm settled over him. They would get out of this. 'Now what?' He asked Horn, his eyes never wavering from Cait's slim figure. 'I take it you didn't come for the money?'

'Oh, I'll take the money but I'll also take Airwolf.' Horn smiled. 'You on the other hand are free to collect your wife and leave in the chopper.' His eyes glittered with some dark emotion.

Hawke felt Dom fidget beside him and he reluctantly broke his eye contact with Caitlin to stare into Horn's insincere face.

Horn smiled widely at the open scepticism. 'I have what I want; I'm not an ungenerous man, Stringfellow.' He moved to one side and made a sweeping gesture of invitation.

Hawke and Dom exchanged an uneasy look and Dom shrugged as if in answer to a silent question. Hawke placed one hand on the gun holstered at his hip and with one final look at Horn he walked forward, skirting the front of the car with Dom at his side. The briefcase of money was left beside Airwolf.

The distance between them and the helicopter looked vast and he knew that it would take them a while to reach it and Caitlin. His eyes constantly scanned the guards that lined the clearing on either side and he turned to guard their rears, walking backwards for a few steps. They were half-way across the clearing when he heard a loud bang.

'Attack!' One of the guards screamed. No, thought Hawke, it was too soon!

All hell broke loose.

Hawke threw himself to the ground trusting Dom to do the same. He drew his gun as shots began to fire around them. He picked a target and shot with deadly accuracy. He cursed as he recognised the uniforms of the Zebra squad start to swarm into defensive positions around them as they had planned – only they were supposed wait until Caitlin was safe then trap Horn as he had planned to trap them.

He felt Dom's presence at his back and his eyes darted frantically to the helicopter. Caitlin was doing her best to hold off her guards. One of them already lay unmoving on the ground by her feet but it was obvious she would eventually be over-powered.

'Dom,' Hawke yelled, 'get back to Airwolf. I'll get Cait.'

'You got it kid.' Dom shouted back.

Hawke didn't wait to see if the older man moved. He shot another guard from his position on the floor before scuttling across the ground in a low crouch. Shots cut across his path and he stopped, whirling to kneel and take out the shooter in one smooth motion. He moved forward again, his stomach churning as he saw the rotors on the helicopter start to whirr.

An unexpected tackle smashed him hard into the ground and as he lay dazed and gasping for breath he saw Caitlin lose her struggle. She was knocked unconscious as a guard slammed her against the aircraft door before shoving her through it. His attention snapped back to his own fight as his attacker punched him in the face. He blocked the next blow and threw his attacker over to gain the upper position. He ploughed his fists into the face of the man until he stopped moving underneath him. He picked up his gun and raced after the helicopter as it began its ascent.

He dodged the shots of the guards on the chopper as it gained height and he made a leap for one of the props. His fingers brushed the metal before closing on air and he landed hard, rolling to break his fall. He staggered to his feet to see the aircraft disappearing over the brow of the hill.

He swore loudly and changed direction knowing his only chance of catching it would be Airwolf and hoping against hope that Dom had made it back to her. He froze as he saw the bloodied guard he had beaten rise up in front of him and point a gun directly at his chest. He began to bring his own gun up knowing it would be too late when there was a scream of engines above his head. Airwolf glided down between him and his attacker, protecting him as she let loose a barrage from her guns. He ran around to the door using the dust cloud to obscure him. He opened it as she continued to hover inches from the ground and heaved himself into his usual seat.

'You got it?' Dom asked.

'Got it.' Hawke felt the aircraft respond to his touch and soar upwards. Dom moved to the engineer's console.

'Horn took off in a car heading south-west. I have him on the scope.' Dom reported. 'One bird in the air, heading north.'

Hawke checked his position and altered course to follow the chopper. 'Turbos.' He said calmly, his mind only focused on rescuing Caitlin. Horn would wait for another day.

'Turbos.'

They arrowed forward; Hawke kept her barely fifteen feet from the ground as they ate up the distance between themselves and Caitlin. They screeched upwards, gained altitude and zipped past the helicopter.

'Careful String!' Dom shouted, unable to stop himself as they swung round.

Hawke's eyes narrowed on his target and he held Airwolf back, circling the chopper like an eagle with a sparrow giving the other pilot a moment to admire Airwolf's power and arsenal.

'Give me communications.'

'You should be able to speak to them now, String.'

'We don't want to fight you. We just want the girl. Land your helicopter and relinquish her and you will be able to go free. You have my word.' He eased Airwolf back as if to convince them of his sincerity.

Hawke held his breath as the other helicopter hovered in front of them. Suddenly, it moved.

Downwards.

In.

A.

Steep.

Unnatural.

Dive.

'NO!'

Hawke didn't know if he screamed the denial or if it was Dom. He followed helplessly as the other aircraft plummeted from the sky.

It crashed headlong into the hillside, a huge fireball rising from the ground.

'String!' Dom screamed.

It was Airwolf who responded and adjusted their own course so they flew through the fire, the undercarriage almost grazing some of the wreckage. She circled back round and landed clumsily at the edge of the debris.

Hawke removed his helmet and looked out in paralysed horror. Parts of the helicopter lay strewn across the field in front of them; oil and air fuel were alight and burning patches of vegetation haphazardly. A white helicopter landed beside them and they both ignored it their attention elsewhere.

'My God!' Dom uttered softly.

'Is she…?' Hawke couldn't finish the question.

Dom checked the monitor and re-checked. He was unable to speak at first, his eyes filling with tears. He cleared his throat and tried again. 'She's gone String.'

'No.' Hawke shook his head. 'No.' He said more firmly as he fumbled at the door and half stepped, half fell out of Airwolf. He ran towards the bulk of the wreck, stumbled on the uneven ground. She would have gotten out, he thought desperately, she had to have gotten out…they were going to have a baby...

His eyes caught on a scrap of blue material and his chest filled with so much hope he couldn't get air into his lungs. He headed towards it unthinkingly. Arms reached out behind him and he struggled against them as they held him back, pulled him away.

The air in front of him exploded.

Knocked back, he fell and went down in a tangle of arms and legs. He pushed himself free of grasping hands to stand. A huge fire raged in front of him, he could feel the heat against his skin and he raised an arm in front of his face, trying to peer through to where he had seen her.

'Caitlin!' He yelled. 'Caitlin!'

'She's gone Hawke.'

He turned in surprise at Michael's voice and looked unseeing into his friend's sad face.

'She's gone.' Michael repeated.

Hawke jerked his gaze back to the fire and felt his legs turn to water. He fell to the ground landing heavily on his knees. He didn't notice; his mind closed down, retreated in a desperate attempt to avoid the pain screaming through him.

'You have to get up, Hawke!' He felt a hand tug at his elbow and he turned dull eyes to see Marella. Her pristine whites were blackened with smoke and dirt; tears ran down her smudged face. 'You can't stay here!'

Hawke felt another hand on his shoulder. 'Come on, String.' Dom's gruff voice was thick with unshed tears of his own. 'Let's go. There's nothing we can do for her now.'

They led him away, back to Airwolf. They sat him in the cockpit whilst they talked in quiet voices around him. He stared at the fire, hypnotized by its bold, wild flickering. In time, more aircraft and ground vehicles appeared disgorging more people but he was only peripherally aware of them as if they were mere ghosts drifting at the corners of his consciousness.

'String.' Dom felt each and every one of his years as he took in the blank look on Hawke's face. 'I'm going to fly us home, String.' He kept his voice gentle as if talking to a wounded animal. Hawke didn't react; it was as if he didn't understand the words.

Dom sighed and turned back to Michael. 'I have to get him home.'

'I understand, Dominic.' Michael watched as Dom climbed into the second pilot's seat and closed the door.

Dom started the engines and cleared his throat. He glanced at the hellish scene in front of him. 'Let's get out of here kid.' Dom patted Hawke's arm awkwardly and then grasping the cyclic took Airwolf up and into the sky.