Chapter 61

Corporal Maxwell Klinger had manned the clerks' office in Radar's absence. He just received a new message over the radio. Dressed like a nurse from an old black and white movie he made his way into Colonel Potter's office.

"Sir," he saluted with a handbag hanging from his hairy wrist.

Colonel Potter looked up from his desk as he needed to have his files in order for the inspection. "That's quite an outfit, Klinger." he stated.

"Thank you, sir." he replied. He then handed him the message, "This just came through, sir. The orphanage has been hit by friendly fire, sir. They have wounded." He gave a very worried looked, "We haven't heard from Radar or the Father yet, sir."

"We need to get a surgeon up there." he determined. "Can Major Hawke's bird fly yet?"

"Waiting on a part, sir." he informed. "The only bird we got is…" he looked behind to ensure no one could hear, "Dom's chopper. Airwolf."

He figured, "We will have to send Dom and his crew then. They will need munitions for that bird. We don't have what they need here. We only have rifle and small arms ammunition. Major Hawke could get them the ammunitions from a depot."

"But what about Colonel Burns?" he asked worried.

He declared, "It wouldn't be the first time we had to knock him out. They already removed his appendix once."

Klinger asked, "Is there any other spare parts the doctors could take out of him?"

"Gallbladder." he declared. "Just got to convince him he's turning yellow. We can have Winchester do the surgery. We don't have time for Margaret to slip him a Mickey. Pierce can go with Dom's crew." he rushed together a plan of action.

Klinger stated, "Yes sir."

Meanwhile

Colonel Frank Burns decided to target the Swamp first in his inspection. He walked into the tent after securing his things in the VIP tent and didn't even give the doctors time to tidy up a bit.

Charles had just finished organizing his LP records when Frank stepped in and started berating the men in the tent.

"This place should be condemned!" Frank huffed upon a quick look.

Dom had just finished moving into the tent when Frank's voice irritated him much like nails on a chalkboard. He already had enough of the man. He glanced over to String who just made up his cot as did Captain Hunnicutt.

Hawkeye Pierce lay on his cot in a red robe sipping a martini. He had no intention of cleaning up anything for inspection. He smirked, "You said something, Frank?"

He stood before his nemesis and barked, "This place is a mess, Pierce."

"It's home." he shrugged it off.

"I'm writing you up." he warned him.

He shrugged, "Go ahead."

Frank upped the threat, "I'm writing the whole tent up and everyone in here."

Charles stated, "You can't do that. It's only Pierce that is a slob."

"If he doesn't do what I say then everyone gets written up." he declared. Frank figured he could get the other men in the tent to gang up on Hawkeye.

Dom then stated, "Then why should any of us clean up?" He then retrieved a pair of socks and purposely threw them on the floor. He called Frank's bluff in one move.

String followed his lead and then unmade his cot, "I see no reason to clean up either."

"Me neither." BJ Hunnicutt agreed and unmade his cot.

Charles stood before Frank grasping the magazine he received from the States. He smirked as he began to tear out the pages one by one and throw them about. "I guess if I am going to get written up for living in this pig pen, then I shall be a pig as well." Charles found Frank stepped on every nerve the man had and was far worse to tolerate than Hawkeye.

Frank huffed, "You men are purposely making a mess."

Dom nodded, "You gave them every reason to not clean up, Colonel." He then asked, "Did you do this to the nurses tent too or did you just home in on the Swamp first? Hope you like the VIP tent. Had I not volunteered to stay in the pig pen then it would been you staying in the pig pen."

"Colonel." he sucked in a breath as his plan seemed to have backfired. "I'll go inspect the nurses tent then…" he backed himself out of the tent upset that he could not get Hawkeye in more trouble.

String stated, "No wonder my father clocked him. I was about ready to clock him too."

BJ asked, "Think it was really fair to the girls to send him to the nurses tent?"

Dom smiled, "I'm sure Cait and Sam can handle him."

Meanwhile, Colonel Frank Burns stormed across the camp to the nurses' tent. He barged into the tent and started his demands, "Alright ladies this is an inspection!"

The nurses were not ready for his inspection and none took him seriously. "That's not protocol," Nurse Kelleye stated. "Major Houlihann has to ensure us nurses are dressed before you come in here."

Sam glanced at Caitlin as they both were making their cots. She spoke up, "You mean he cannot come in if one of us is not dressed."

The nurse confirmed, "That's right."

Frank stated, "All of you are dressed."

Sam began to unbutton her jacket shirt. She claimed, "I'm tired. I think I will, get ready for bed."

Frank looked at her, "What are you doing, Nurse…" he had no idea who she was.

Caitlin yawned and stretched, "I'm tired too." She too began to take off the shirt.

Another nurse joined in, "I think I might need a change of clothes." The dark haired nurse began to remove the jacket.

Sam got down to the green t-shirt and removed it, exposing her bra. She looked at him straight in the eye, "Should I continue, Colonel?"

Nurse Kelleye reminded Frank, "If you are in here with an undressed nurse she can file a complaint against you, Colonel."

Sam reached behind her back to remove the bra when Frank quickly covered his eyes and then backed up frantically reaching for the door. "I didn't see anything!" he huffed as he walked out.

Caitlin laughed, "That got him." She held up a hand to Sam, "High five, girl."

Sam slapped Caitlin's hand and then finished removing her bra before putting her t-shirt and jacket back on.

Caitlin asked, "Why are you going bra-less, Sam?"

She held up the article, "First…this thing digs into me and second…I got plans for Frank Burns."

Meanwhile

Radar managed to get to the orphanage with the Father and the medication. They were soon under siege as they were being shelled by friendly fire. Radar had managed to get a message out on the radio that the orphanage had wounded children and adults alike. The errant shelling stopped but that was not the end of their problems. An enemy sniper was still in the area and things were looking bleak.

After speaking with the nuns, Father Mulcahy had to take charge of the facility as the head nun was wounded as well. He asked Radar, "Any word from the 4077th yet?"

The Corporal replied, "They are sending Captain Pierce in Airwolf."

He gasped, "If Colonel Burns sees that chopper…"

Radar figured, "It would be bad."

He agreed, "Very bad."

A shot rang out. Radar felt the impact as if he was hit from behind by a motor vehicle. He went forward as he was the next target of the sniper.

Father Mulcahy grabbed him and pulled him deeper inside the orphanage. He looked him over and found he was hit in the shoulder blade are of his back. "Radar! Son!" he helped him to the ground and spied the blood running down his left shoulder on his back. "You've been hit."

Radar could barely breathe, "I know."

He immediately placed a bandage over the bullet wound and found no exit wound meaning the bullet was still inside the boy's chest. The Father grabbed the nearby radio and started another call for help.

Short Time Later

The sun was starting to set on the camp. Colonel Potter received word that Radar was wounded as well and they desperately needed to support at the orphanage.

Major John Hawke's chopper could not fly but Airwolf could. The Major was tasked with getting ammunitions from the chopper. He drove the jeep back into camp after securing a crate of fifty caliber machine gun ammunitions as Dom requested. As he parked the jeep he found Dom was waiting with String, Colonel Potter and Captain Hawkeye Pierce.

"I got the munitions." he declared. He spied the worried look on the faces. "What is it?"

Colonel Potter stated, "I just got word that Radar has been hit by a sniper. He's with the Father in the orphanage. He was hit in the shoulder blade. They got wounded nuns and children as well. We can't get a bus there until morning. You, Dom and Stringfellow will have to neutralize that sniper tonight and Captain Pierce will tend to the wounded and Radar."

He asked concerned, "And Burns?"

The Colonel assured, "We will take care of Burns."

Dom motioned, "Get in the jeep, String. John, we need to get this crate to Airwolf pronto. You and String will pilot. I'm engineer. The girls will stay back to keep Frank occupied." he climbed in the jeep. He looked to Captain Pierce, "Get in Hawkeye!" he stated.

Hawkeye climbed in back wearing a helmet and carrying his medical bag. He found himself sitting on top of the crate of munitions. "Not the best place to sit."

String motioned, "I'll sit on the crate, Hawkeye." He switched places with the doctor who felt uncomfortable on the munitions crate.

Colonel Potter gave a nod to the men, "Godspeed men."

String stated, "Thank you, Colonel."

Hawkeye urged, "We need to get to Radar."

"On our way." Major Hawke told him and then placed the jeep in gear. They headed just outside of camp and to Airwolf. Standing guard was Sergeant Rizzo who just filled up the chopper with fuel. He was hoping for a look inside and maybe even a ride.

The greasy mechanic grinned, "I got her gassed up for ya." As the jeep came to a halt before him.

Dom took command. "Rizzo, help String with the munitions crate. We need those guns loaded." He spoke to String, "We won't have missiles on this mission, String."

"I know, least we have guns now." He grabbed one end of the munitions crate as Rizzo grabbed the other.

Hawkeye stood back and watched as Dom opened the side door of the chopper. He climbed inside and began to power up the chopper. Major John Hawke followed Dom into the beast and to the pilot's station where Dom gave him a crash course on the instruments. Hawkeye looked about the futuristic chopper. "I see choppers come a long way."

John Hawke agreed, "I'll say."

Dom went to the engineer's station and flipped the control that allowed access to the guns. From the side of the bird, the machine guns emerged along with the loading station.

Outside the bird, String opened the crate with a pry bar and grabbed the first 9 yards of machine gun munitions.

Rizzo asked, "Gonna a need the whole nine yards?"

"Hope not." he told him. "Grab the other."

Rizzo complied and then assisted String in loading the weapons. He stated, "I heard Radar was hit up in that orphanage by a sniper. That boy is like the camp pet. He makes this place tick. I wish I could come with ya. Just get that sniper for us."

String assured, "We will get him."

He gave a hard nod and bit on the cigar. "Get him back to camp."

"We will." he told him.

Rizzo ran his hand over the fuselage of the bird as if saying a little prayer. He spoke quietly to Airwolf, "Bring the boy back."

String finished loading the machine guns and then went to the fuselage. He grabbed his flight suit, Dom's suit and a spare for his father. He looked at Hawkeye was unarmed as Colonel Potter did give him and Dom each a side arm and holster. He asked, "You are not armed, Captain?"

He motioned, "It's in the bottom of the bag. It's not even loaded."

String grabbed the bag and dug out the handgun. He found it was exactly like the handguns he and Dom were issued. He grabbed the gun and magazine and placed it aside.

Hawkeye sat on the spare booster seat and asked, "What ya doing with that?"

"You are not using it, Doc." he told him. "Might need a backup." He then grabbed his old utility belt that Sinjin kept for the air shows. He removed the mock pistol and slid in the real firearm into the holster. He then put the belt on and found it was a bit lose as Sinjin had gained a little weight. He soured, "I'm going to put you on a diet when I get back, Sinjin." He then adjusted the belt to his size.