Caitlin curled up on the sofa and looked out at the night sky. It was cloudy and she couldn't see many stars in the darkness, just the artificial yellow mist created by the city's lighting. She shivered and briefly considered changing into the matching pyjama top that went with the trousers she wore rather than the vest she was wearing. She decided against it and tucked the blanket closer around her. She sipped on the glass of water she'd gotten when she'd decided staying in the bed to toss and turn was futile. She pushed a hand through her mussed hair and frowned.
The outing had been a lot of fun but she'd barely finished her main course when the tiredness had hit like a steamroller. Marella had ignored her protests and driven her back to the clinic where Michael had read them both the riot act; apparently Marella hadn't quite filled him in on her plan. Caitlin had needed little persuasion by the nurse to go to bed. The sheer effort of staying upright had drained the colour from her face and created a tension headache. It had been a surprise to her that once in bed her tiredness had fled, her mind racing as soon as she closed her eyes. It had been no surprise what had occupied her thoughts.
Caitlin sighed and stretched out a hand to the window, the glass cool to her touch. She wondered if Hawke was looking at the stars as he flew to France; was he thinking about her like she was thinking of him? She found her finger-tips unconsciously tracing over her lips as she remembered their goodbye kiss and found her lips curling upwards. She rubbed her cold nose. They still had a lot of healing to do but they would make it. Her hand slid over the unborn child she carried.
A noise outside in the corridor caught her attention and Caitlin glanced across the room at the closed door. The thin line of light under the door suddenly blinked out and she frowned. Was there a power cut? She tried the lamp by the sofa. The click echoed in the room but there was no light. She tried to ignore her unease and the way the shadows in the room suddenly seemed sinister. Her best option was to stay where she was. Power cuts weren't all that rare; there was no cause for alarm; the power would be restored and she would be fine. She was about to move, to return to bed where she could close her eyes and ignore it when she heard Hawke's words to her before he left as clearly as if he had been stood next to her; be on your guard. She shivered again, a quiver of fear shooting down her spine. The hairs on the back of her neck bristled with atavistic warning and she knew it wasn't a power cut; Horn was coming for her.
Her whole body froze in panic and for a moment she couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think. She whimpered and the sound broke through her fear. She felt her anger stir. She was acting like she was beaten but she wasn't. Even a wounded, trapped animal when cornered fought and she would fight with every breath she had. She would not sit here and let Horn win. She looked around for a weapon, any weapon. Her fingers clenched on the glass she held. She stretched across the sofa to tip the water into a plant when a sound across the room jerked her attention to the door. Someone was turning the handle.
She slowly started to move back to her sitting position, her eyes never moving from the door, her heartbeat loud in her ears. The door swung open. Her whole focus narrowed to the space by the door. She breathed in as a shape formed and solidified. Caitlin breathed out in a rush. It was Marella. Her hands shook as she set the glass down and went to join the other woman in the doorway.
'Power and communications are out.' Marella said without preamble, keeping her voice low. 'Michael wants to move you to another location just in case…'
'It's Horn. He's here.' The absolute certainty in Caitlin's voice threw the other woman for a moment. She didn't question it though just un-holstered the FIRM issue gun at her side and motioned with it.
'Let's go.' Marella moved into the corridor; Caitlin followed her. They kept to the walls and the shadows.
Marella halted them at the end of the corridor, frowning at noises around the corner. She inched out carefully, her eyes scanning the darkness. Her dark eyes saw the movement too late, the blow catching her fully on the temple. She crumpled to the floor.
Caitlin gasped Marella's name and instinctively went to crouch down to help when her eyes caught the glint of metal in front of her. She followed the path of the gun to the hand, to the arm and then reluctantly to the face of her nightmares. More shapes formed at the corners of her vision and she realised Horn had brought a small team with him to retrieve her.
'Hello my dear.' Horn's voice slid over her and she tasted nausea as she took a stumbling step away from him. 'You really didn't think you could escape me, did you?' His eyes flickered to the unconscious woman at his feet. 'If you don't want any more…accidents to your friends, I suggest you come quietly.'
Caitlin's face hardened and he smiled – she could see the gleam of his teeth in the dark. She followed him through the darkened corridors to the stairwell. She was marched up the stairs, stumbling in the dark, stubbing her bare toes and feeling the icy stone bite at her feet. She tried hard to recall the earlier anger but couldn't push beyond the fear gripping her. They reached the roof door and one of Horn's team set a charge. The door blasted open. Caitlin felt a rush of wind rip through her and she raised an arm to protect her eyes. Horn's fingers around her arm sent a shockwave of remembered horror through her core and she closed her eyes. Please God, somebody – anybody help me, she prayed. Horn pulled her out onto the roof, his team running ahead to the helipad and setting up flares.
'I'm sure you'll enjoy the flight, my dear. Of course it will be the last one, you enjoy for a while.' Horn enjoyed the glimmer of terror in her set, pale face. 'I'm afraid your husband will also be enjoying his last flight.'
Caitlin stilled. 'What do you mean?'
'Well, I guess there's no harm telling you now.' He let go of her arm to brush at her hair that was being blown awry by the wind and smiled when she flinched away from his touch. 'I'm afraid I couldn't allow Stringfellow to spoil my plans for you again so Paris will hold a fatal surprise for him.'
'Your plans for me?' Caitlin repeated. 'What could you possibly want with me?'
There was a movement by the roof door and Caitlin took advantage to take a step away from a distracted Horn, her eyes scanning for a possible escape route. There was a chance…a small chance if she could get away now, there might still be time to contact Hawke and warn him. She drew on the need to save Hawke, her strength returning with her sense of purpose. Caitlin's head jerked back to the roof door at the sound of a shout. In the light provided by the flares, she saw a movement: Michael.
Horn spun towards her and she had only taken a few steps before he caught her, his arm around her neck and shoulders he grappled with her, using her as a human shield as he backed away from the roof door, yelling at his team to cover him. Shots began to fire as Horn backed away with her, half-carrying her towards the helipad. She struggled against the iron grip, her legs flailing as she tried to get leverage to free herself. The sound of an approaching helicopter made her more frenzied and Horn suddenly jabbed the gun into her with enough force to drive the breath from her body.
'I may have plans for you my dear but they won't be delayed much if I have to shoot both of your legs out from under you.' Horn said as he waved at the chopper as it came closer. 'We're going to take a little trip my dear.'
She thought of the child she was carrying and she felt herself fill with a sudden power that she hadn't realised she had. Her body firmed with a calm intent; her lips thinned in resolve and her eyes went as hard as flint.
'I don't think so.' Her right fist shot up and she thumped Horn solidly on the jaw. He went down firing the gun as his finger jerked against the trigger. Caitlin barely registered the sting as the bullet grazed her arm but kicked out at his hand and sent the pistol scuttling across the concrete. She stamped down on his left leg before he could rise. She took off across the landing pad towards the relative safety of a fire escape ladder on the side of the building; her only thought was to escape.
A wave of bullets hit the ground in front of her and she stumbled, falling onto the concrete. She looked up and saw Horn's chopper above her and a glance behind her saw Horn getting to his feet, retrieving his gun, his face ugly in the shining light of the neon coloured flares. She was trapped. Horn was going to win. She closed her eyes…a sound….her eyes flew open.
Airwolf screamed a challenge, descending from the night sky like a Fury with frightening speed and intent. Moonlight and the neon flares glinted off the visible armament as she straightened close enough to the roof to drive Horn's men to the ground to avoid being hit.
'Hawke.' Caitlin whispered and felt a wave of relief and renewed strength flood through her as Airwolf flew over her with an eerie howl. She got to her feet.
Hawke targeted the chopper, flying straight toward it with a determination that panicked the other pilot. He veered off and Hawke didn't bother to give chase. Flashes burst from Airwolf's guns lighting the night sky; warning shots to the other chopper to keep their distance.
'String, Caitlin…' Dom's panic transmitted itself to Hawke and he swung Airwolf round. Horn had caught up with Caitlin and they were struggling, dangerously close to the edge of the roof. Hawke sent another barrage of ammo across the roof cutting Horn off from his men. He snapped at Dom to take the controls as Airwolf came to hover over the roof, the neon flares falling over and rolling away from the force of her rotors. Hawke dropped to the ground and scuttled across the roof, his gun a familiar weight in his hand.
Horn slapped Caitlin with enough force to split her lip and make her head sing. He caught hold of her throat, ignoring her hands pushing at his chest and backed her into the low wall until her spine hit the unyielding bricks. She couldn't hide the spasm of pain as he bent her backwards. She glanced down and shuddered at the sheer drop. Suddenly, the pressure on her back was released as he yanked her in front of him and when her head stopped spinning, she realised why. Hawke stood mere feet away from them, a gun in his hand, pointed directly at them.
'Let her go, Horn. It's over.' Hawke's focus was absolute. The continuing battle behind him between Horn's men and the FIRM operatives went unnoticed. He trusted Dom to protect them from any disturbance. His blue eyes met Caitlin's.
She felt the sharp jab as Horn placed the gun to her underside of her jaw, pushing her chin upwards but she didn't break her eye contact with Hawke.
'Oh, I don't think it's over just yet do you?' Horn's voice was silky smooth, betraying none of the tension that darted through his eyes. 'I suggest you put the gun down, Stringfellow.'
'There is no way out, Horn. Not this time.' Hawke replied.
'Are you sure about that?' Horn's eyes glittered. 'I will kill her.'
'No, you won't.' Hawke snapped back.
'Are you sure you want to risk that?' Horn wrenched at her hair, forcing her head back exposing her vulnerable neck even further and causing her to cry out with pain.
Hawke started forward but stopped instantly at Horn's slight shake of his head.
'The gun, Stringfellow.'
'Don't do it, Hawke.' Caitlin said.
Hawke considered his options. He lowered his gun and slowly placed it on the ground.
'Kick it away.' Horn instructed.
Hawke followed the order.
Horn bared his teeth in a pervasion of a smile. 'It's such a shame you didn't get to Paris, Stringfellow but no matter. I dislike getting blood on my hands but in your case…' He kept his eyes fixed on the Airwolf pilot as he gripped Caitlin's hair and jerked her head towards him, taking her mouth in a brutal kiss.
Hawke reacted without thought, his body moving forward of its own volition. He saw Horn release Caitlin's mouth, his smeared with blood from hers and swing his gun round to target him. Hawke made the calculations and knew he was going to die. But Caitlin moved, jabbing her elbow into Horn's stomach. The shot misfired. It hit the ground in front of Hawke and in the next moment, Hawke barrelled into Horn, throwing Caitlin clear.
Hawke felt the breath leave his body as the two men hit the unyielding floor. He delivered a punch to Horn's jaw; he felt one in his gut. They rolled around.
Caitlin scrambled for the gun and she found it with a deep sigh of relief. She stood up, taking position and aimed at the two men. She bit back a scream of frustration as she failed to get a clear shot.
Hawke dragged Horn to his feet and the other man shoved Hawke back, getting his arm free to pistol whip the side of Hawke's head. The pilot fell to the ground, dazed. He raised stunned eyes to see Horn outlined against the dark sky, bringing the gun to bear on him…
A shot sounded.
Horn's eyes moved to Caitlin. She held the gun with a calm authority. He looked down in surprise at the bullet wound in his chest. He raised his gun and she fired again. The impact of the second bullet propelled him backwards, his legs hit the empty space of the fire escape and for a moment he hung suspended before he toppled off the roof.
Hawke pushed himself to his feet, his eyes on the spot where Horn had gone over. He walked the few steps to glance down. Horn's sprawled body was just visible on the ground below.
'Is he…?' Caitlin's flat tone travelled the short distance between them and he straightened to look back at her. She was standing behind him still in position, still with the gun aimed. His eyes caught hers and he took a step toward her.
'He's gone.' He said.
The arms holding the gun trembled. He took another step.
'He's gone.' He repeated.
The gun was suddenly too heavy in her hands and she struggled to keep it in position.
Hawke took the final step and there was no more distance separating them. 'He's gone, Cait.' He repeated again.
Caitlin lowered the gun, it clattered to the floor and Hawke couldn't wait any longer. He gathered her to him, wrapping his arms around her, burying his face in the clean scent of her hair. She trembled against him, her bloody hands clutching at him, holding him as tightly as he held her. Hawke heard running footsteps behind them and moved just enough to ascertain it wasn't another threat. It was Dom who slowed to a stop as he saw them, a wide grin spreading across his face. More figures were running towards them behind Dom's substantial frame and Hawke sighed.
'String?'
He shifted to look into Caitlin's eyes.
'I don't think I can stand any longer.' She murmured and before he could respond, her eyes rolled back and she collapsed.
He swore and managed to catch her against him. He lowered her in his arms to the floor and yelled for Dom. Hawke wiped away the blood on her lip and noticed her cheek was already blooming with a bruise. His eyes darkened and he forgot what he'd been about to say as he catalogued her injuries.
'God.' He raised shocked eyes to Dom's as the older man knelt down beside him. 'She's been shot, Dom.'
'It's only a graze, kid.' Dom examined the wound on her arm gently and seeing the clinic staff running up, moved aside to give them better access. Hawke wouldn't be moved whilst they examined her. He helped them place her on a stretcher and walked beside them into the clinic, his hand holding hers.