Chapter 14
Despite the premature explosion on set earlier in the day, the stunt went according to plan, which involved Hawke jumping from a chopper into a moving truck, fighting with the bad guy and throwing him unceremoniously over the side. Kinsons' notable absence from their scene had been an added bonus, presumably in case Hawke revised his decision not to shoot him. Every cloud, Hawke thought wryly. They'd completed their scene in one take, and at some point during the morning they'd found themselves leaning up against the trailer, sharing a styrofoam cup of liquid that professed to be coffee. They stood side by side in a companionable silence, close enough that every so often, Hawkes arm would gently brush Caits.
"I can hear ya thinkin' y'know " Cait said finally, nudging Hawkes shoulder with her own.
Hawke took a sip of coffee and offered it to Cait.
"You can, huh?" He replied with a small smile as Cait wrapped her fingers gratefully around the warm styrofoam.
"Yeah, and I've been thinkin' too. " Cait replied, her eyes flickering up to meet Hawkes. "Y'know, maybe it's not such a good idea if we go and see that FBI Agent after all."
"At least, not right now"
Hawke pushed himself off the trailer and turned to meet her gaze.
"Why?" Hawke asked, his brow creasing in confusion.
"Have you even considered that these guys, whoever they are, might find O'Connor a liability? That they might try an' finish what they started?!"
The corner of Hawke's mouth twitched into a grin.
"Now you're starting to sound like one of Michaels Angels"
"I'm bein' serious, Hawke!" Cait exclaimed, turning to face the pilot fully, her eyes full of indignation
"It had occurred to me they might make another play for O'Connor"Hawke replied, scraping a hand across his jaw.
Cait gaze dropped to the last dregs of coffee in the bottom of the cup
"...and you"
Her eyes lifted to meet his and Hawke sighed heavily
"Yeah" Hawke said roughly "It wouldn't surprise me"
"Then maybe we should wait-" Cait continued hopefully "Y'know, maybe talk to Mi-"
Hawke's head whipped round
"No" Hawke growled, causing Cait to recoil a little at the harshness in his voice. "The less people that know, the better" Hawke replied, gesturing towards a frowning Cait.
"I still can't believe Michael's involved in all of this. It just doesn't make any sense"
Hawke almost smiled at the Texans never ending sense of optimism, marveling at her loyalty to a man who traded in secrets and half truths. His eyes dropped to the floor, and the pilot sighed heavily, before lifting his gaze to meet Cait's.
"All I know is, I flew The Lady straight into an ambush and I don't know who, what or why but I need to get to O'Connor, Cait. Find out what he knows"
Cait nodded, knowing when Hawke set his mind to something, there was very little she or anyone else could say or do that would make him change it.
"Dom said you saved his life" Cait said quietly, looking sideways at Hawke as he resolutely avoided her gaze. Sensing this was a topic best not pressed, Cait continued
"Y'know, Hawke, they'll be expectin' us."
Cait tossed the empty cup into the nearest trash can. "The hospital will be crawlin' with FBI Agents"
Hawke turned to face her, the hint of a smile on his boyish features.
"Then we'll just have to get creative"
Cait returned his smile with a small shake of her head. Stringfellow Hawke still managed to surprise her, even after all these years.
"C"mon, Cait. Let's go" Hawke said, placing a hand on the small of her back as he guided her back towards the Santini Jeep.
Neither of them saw the figure behind the camera as they passed. Neither of them saw the camera lens pointing in the direction of the Santini Jeep as it drove off the movie set.
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Dominic Santini grunted and shifted position beneath the Hughes 500 as he fought with a stubborn bolt. Hawke and Caitlin should have been back from the stunt over an hour ago to help him with the repairs, although it was nothing unusual for Hawke, he had to admit he was more than a little surprised at Caitlin. He'd resisted the urge to call the set, reasoning if they were in some kinda jam, they'd find someway of contacting him. The stunt probably just overran he'd told himself, after all Kinson was if nothing else, a perfectionist. The impatient shrill of the telephone had Dom pushing the nagging doubt to the back of his mind as he finally managed to loosen the bolt that had evaded him for most of the morning.
"Ev!" Dom yelled after his part time mechanic "Ev! Can you get that?"
"Mama Mia" Dom groused as he scrambled out from beneath the chopper when he received no response from his clearly absent mechanic.
"What the hell do I pay you for, huh? Alright! Alright!" He yelled at the phone as it continued to fight for his attention. Dom was about to grab the receiver when the phone stopped ringing and he rolled his eyes, remembering a similar time not all that long ago, so according to Strings curly wurly logic, they should be ringing back right around- as if on cue, the phone rang again and Dom snatched up the receiver.
"Santini Air" he barked in irritation, his craggy features softening instantly as he recognized the voice on the other end.
"Heeeey! " Dom chuckled "Mac old buddy! I heard you were back in town! What took you so long, huh?" Dom turned towards the open door and leaned his bulky frame against the doorway as he listened to his friends recount of his travels.
Doms bushy brows knitted together in a frown as he looked out across the Tarmac, his gaze alighting on the far side of the Airfield. Just the other side of the perimeter fence sat a rusty coloured station wagon parked up with a direct view into the Airfield. Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him, but he could've sworn that same station wagon had been parked there all morning.
"Why, sure, I know the place "Dom said, breaking into a gap tooth grin "As a matter of fact-" Dom hesitated and moved the phone away from his ear as he heard a faint, unmistakeable click from inside the earpiece.
"Ah, Mac" Dom said quickly "Listen, I gotta run now, Sure, I'll be there, nice talkin' to ya buddy. Don't leave it so long next time, huh?"
Slowly, Dom replaced the receiver and ran his hand through his grey, wispy curls. He crossed the hangar and quickly glanced outside. Confirming the car was still there, Dom closed the hangar door and made his was back over to the phone. He picked up the receiver once again and carefully removed the cap, exposing a mass of wires and circuitry. His eyes immediately alighted on the small, round object so minute, it would have easily have been missed if someone hadn't been looking for it. Dom's eyes narrowed on the little transmitter in the palm of his hand, and he'd been in this business long enough to know when his hangar had been bugged.
"Son of a-" Dom whispered, placing the bug on the desk. Searching under the workbench, Dom grabbed a hammer from the toolbox and smashed the transmitter into a thousand little pieces, making a mental note to call the movie set right after he'd swept the rest of the hangar for any more unwelcome surprises.
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Hawke pulled the jeep into a parking spot outside the entrance of Cedar's Sinai and glanced around, looking for any sign of federal vehicles. The journey from the movie set had been relatively uneventful, and considering the events of the last few hours, this only served to put him even more on edge. Satisfied there were none in the immediate vicinity, Hawke turned to face his passenger.
"You ready?"
Hawke frowned slightly as Cait rummaged through her purse and pulled out a pair of thick, black rimmed glasses.
"I borrowed them from the props department" Cait explained, flushing under Hawke's intense regard. She quickly put them on "Thought they might be useful"
Hawke could only watch in a dumbfounded silence, as Cait glanced at her reflection in the rear view mirror and ran her hands gently through her shoulder length hair, mussing it slightly. In fact, Hawke was still watching as she quickly swept up her hair and pinned it in place.
Cait turned and looked at Hawke over the rim of her glasses.
"So? How do I look?"
Hawke allowed his gaze to sweep over the woman in the passenger seat, and grateful for the mask of his Aviators, he swallowed hard.
"Fine" Hawke said gruffly, shifting in his seat to ensure his masculine appreciation didn't show.
"Just- uh- stick to the plan" Hawke said in attempt to change the subject as Cait adjusted her glasses in the mirror. "You distract them, try and find O'Connor, I'll find a way in round the back. "
Cait's eyes met Hawke's.
"You ready?"
Cait's lips quirked into a smile
"I always am"
Cait reached behind her and grabbed a cheap bunch of flowers from the back seat and straightened her plaid red shirt.
"Well, wish me luck"
Cait got out of the jeep and Hawke immediately pulled away, anxious to find a less conspicuous place for the red, white and blue jeep.
Gripping the bunch of flowers a little tighter, Cait made her way up the steps and taking a deep breath she pushed open the heavy entrance doors.
The reception area was unusually quiet, which didn't really work in her favour, Cait thought ruefully. Her thoughts turned briefly to Hawke and wondered if he'd succeeded in finding a way in. A telephone shrilled somewhere in the distance and a tannoy announcement 'Dr Ross to exam 1, Dr Ross to exam 1' momentarily distracted her before her gaze fell on the solitary nurse sitting at the admitting desk.
"Oh boy" Cait muttered under her breath as she immediately caught sight of the charcoal coloured suit standing next to the desk, barking instructions down the telephone. FBI. Cait attempted to smother the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. They hadn't been wrong. Cait scanned the corridors, from her time in law enforcement she knew they rarely travelled alone, and then she spotted him, a second FBI agent, standing by the vending machine deep in discussion with a doctor.
"Here goes nothin" Cait thought to herself as she approached the admitting desk with a confidence she didn't really feel.
"Good mornin' " she said cheerily, placing a hand on the desk. The young admitting nurse glanced up and returned her smile "I'm lookin' for Ryan O'Connors room? Y'know, tall, dark, handsome FBI fella" Cait clarified in a thick Texan accent when the nurse looked a little confused.
"Oh sure-" The nurse replied, pointing her pen down the hall. "He's-"
Before she could finish, the burliest of the two FBI Agents moved in front of Cait and straightened his jacket. He was young, not unattractive and clearly worked out, Cait observed, as her gaze travelled over his broad, thick set shoulders. Yes, she could definitely work with this.
"What's your business with Agent O'Connor, Miss-?" He rested a hand on his belt, pushing his suit jacket back slightly so his gun was clearly visible in its holster.
The admitting nurse rolled her eyes and continued with her paperwork.
Undeterred, Cait turned and looked up at the formidable figure looming over her slender form.
"Caitlin" Cait replied brightly, precluding giving her surname as she always did on Airwolf missions. "See, Ryan's the second cousin of my Great Aunt Alice on my Mother's side-" Cait inwardly smiled at the confusion in the Agents eyes as he attempted to work out the family connection. "And when she heard about Ryan she just had to come. But then my Uncle Billy had some fool accident on the ranch and darn broke his good leg, so she's still in Texas and can't get here til the weekend" Cait took a deep breath as she regarded the Agent intently, wondering if he'd bought her story.
"So she asked if I could look in on him, Y'know..with me bein' in California n'all"
Cait jabbed the bunch of flowers towards the Agent for effect. The young Agent looked nervously over his shoulder, searching desperately for his colleague who, luckily for Cait, had chosen this precise moment to vanish into thin air.
"I didn't think O'Connor had any family" The blonde Agent replied, eyeing the petite red head suspiciously
"Oh he doesn't" Cait returned easily, suddenly grateful for those acting lessons. She leaned in closer to the bewildered Agent. "Not close family anyways. We're all he's got left"
Cait stole a quick glance over her shoulder, looking for any sign of Hawke in the maze of corridors behind her.
"Ok lady, you've got five minutes" The Agent finally relented, motioning to a room at the end of the corridor "He's in 105"
Cait let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and grabbed the flowers off the desk.
"Thank you, Agent..."
"Phelps. Special Agent Phelps"
"Well, Special Agent Phelps-" Cait said, reaching out and adjusting his tie "Y'are a good guy"
Against his professional judgement, Phelps couldn't help but smile at the Texan with the infectious smile.
"Yeah? Tell that to my ex- wife!"
Cait swiveled on her heel and marched down the corridor, hoping fervently Hawke had managed to find his way into the building. By her estimations, and the two Federal vehicles she'd seen pull up outside the hospital entrance, they had precious little time.
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Hawke slipped unnoticed round the back of the hospital, concealing himself behind an ambulance as he watched the two black Federal vehicles pull up outside the entrance to Cedars Sinai. He watched as several Agents filed out, and once again, questioned his decision to send Cait in alone.
'Stick to the plan' he'd told her, when here he was, the one considering going against his own instructions. He peered round the ambulance, just as a young porter with an empty wheelchair crossed the ambulance bay and disappeared in through the service entrance. Hawke quickly scanned the area, and deciding there was no-one else in the immediate vicinity, he left his cover of the ambulance and slipped in unnoticed behind him.
Hawke found himself in a service area, with piles of linens marked with the hospital insignia stacked up against both walls. His gaze searched for any likely way in to the main area of the hospital and moving to his left, Hawke rattled a door and cursed under his breath when he found it locked. His thoughts once again turned to Cait, wondering if she'd managed to locate O'Connor's room or whether she was now in the custody of the FBI, or worse.. Hawke's throat closed on the thought. A sound teased the edge of Hawke's hearing, voices outside, the static from a radio, getting louder as they approached his current position. Hawke pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind and with a renewed determination, Hawke ducked down behind some large linen carts, pulling them across to conceal himself from the advancing enemy. Hawke peered through the small gap and could just about make out the forms of two FBI Agents, who appeared to have stopped just short of the open service entrance door.
"I'm tellin' ya Reyes, there's nobody here. We've already been through this ."
"Yeah, well this is the Assistant Directors assignment" the other one replied. "So if you wanna keep your badge, Gardino, we stay"
"Dammit!" Hawke muttered, as the Agent said something about the Assistant Director being paranoid. He winced at the sudden pain in his healing ribs, protesting at being stuck in one place for too long and shifted slightly, hoping the Agents were to engrossed in conversation to notice. Through the gap, Hawke watched as the Agents stepped aside to allow two hospital porters dressed in maroon scrubs to pass, and from his hiding place, Hawke could see a large bunch of keys dangling from the first ones uniform.
"How come Phelps got the inside post, huh? The guys a douchebag"
"Takes one to know one Gardino "
"Hey!"
Hawkes gaze snapped back to the door as the porter sorted through the stack of keys and eventually selected one. A sense of urgency encompassed Hawke as the door was pulled open and the porters disappeared inside, leaving the door ajar suggesting they weren't intending to stay.
Hawke made his move. Pressing his back against the wall, Hawke crawled from his hiding place, moving deftly towards the open door, crouching low to avoid alerting the FBI Agents.
"What was that?"
"What was what?"
"I think I heard somethin'"
Hawke froze, his hand hovering above his gun.
"Now who's paranoid, huh?"
"Shut up, Reyes"
Letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, Hawke slid his aching body through the small opening and snicked the door shut.
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Stringfellow Hawke had never been so grateful to see the inside of a hospital as he made his way down the corridor, weaving in and out of the busy medics who, thankfully, didn't even give him a second glance. His worried gaze searched the corridor for any sign of Cait, and when he turned the corner for the third time with still no sign of the Texan, the burgeoning sense of concern he'd tried so hard to smother, threatened to bubble to the surface.
"Where are you, Caitlin" Hawke muttered to himself as he turned yet another corner.
It had only been a few days since he'd landed Airwolf on the hospital roof, carrying the lifeless form of of Agent Ryan O'Connor to the waiting medics, but to Hawke, it had felt like a week. So much had happened in the interim. Ryan O'Connor bothered him, who he was working for, where his allegiances lie, but couldn't understand the strange sense of protectiveness he felt for the Agent he'd only known for a few hours. Hawke wasn't a man who trusted easily, and he was determined to get some answers.
Hawke reached the end of the corridor and came to a halt as he caught sight of two Agents stood by what he assumed was the admitting desk. Glancing over his shoulder, the pilot turned on his heel and continued on in the opposite direction, hoping feverently he hadn't been seen. It was then he heard it, a familiar voice, almost a whisper, stopping Hawke firmly in his tracks.
" Hawke!"
Hawke's brow furrowed as he glanced around for the owner
"Cait?"
In one swift movement, Hawke found himself yanked around the corner and pressed against the warm body of Caitlin O'Shannessy, the pair concealed by a shelf full of medical supplies. Hawkes ice blue eyes collided with hers as he pressed a hand against the wall to steady himself.
"Are you alright?" He asked roughly, still firmly pressed against her and having no real inclination to move.
"I'm fine" Cait replied, unable to tear her gaze away from Hawke's. "You?"
Hawke replied with a curt nod.
"I managed to sandbag Agent Phelps and buy us some time with O'Connor" Cait informed him, peering round Hawke's athletic frame and nodding towards the young sandy haired Agent.
"Phelps? "Hawkes eyes widened in surprise "You know his name?"
Caits eyes returned to Hawkes.
"Phelps says he's in 105 across the hall" Cait continued, ignoring Hawke's comment "Although I'm not sure how long he'll believe the story about Great Aunt Alice back in Texas"
His interest piqued, Hawke quirked an eyebrow.
"Another time, Hawke " she replied, patting his chest " C'mon flyboy, lets go"
Cait was the first to move, sliding her body between Hawke and the shelf and peered through the window at the prone form of Special Agent Ryan O'Connor.
""He looks pretty bad, String" Cait told him, looking wide eyed at her companion "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea"
Hawke glanced over his shoulder as 'Agent Phelps' dramatically snatched up the telephone and couldn't help but bristle at the thought of the man.
"Yeah"
Hawke turned back to Cait "He probably is, but I'll only need five minutes" he finished, briefly recalling the young nurse he'd managed to sweet talk into calling him if O'Connor woke.
"Good" Cait replied, a small smile surfacing "'cos that's all we've got"
Hawke squeezed her slender shoulder and took a step into the doorway, his gaze sweeping over the myriad of wires that engulfed the young agent. He lay motionless on the bed, his arms laying still on the crisp, white sheet that covered him from the waist down. Several dressings covered the wounds on his bare chest, and a large, vivid bruise, a plethora of colours covered most of his left rib cage. A fresh bandage had been applied to the wound on his head, and Cait couldn't help the involuntary shudder at the cuts and grazes that zigzagged across his cheek, and the purple, mottled bruise beneath his left eye. As her gaze swept over the injured Agent, it served as a harsh reminder that Hawke had escaped with just a boot to the jaw and injured ribs. This time.
Hawke stepped fully into the room, and suddenly a blinding flash of orange almost knocked him from his feet. The smell of burning flesh and twisted metal filled his nostrils as Cait's screams assaulted his ears. The vision of O'Connor, with every ounce of energy he still possessed, ramming Lynch and laying motionless in the mud, permeated his mind.
"Hawke?" Cait whispered, taking hold of Hawke's arm. "Are you ok?"
"Hawke?!"
Finally, he opened his eyes and met Caitlin's worried gaze.
"I'm ok" Hawke replied, grateful the episode hadn't been as vivid as the nightmares that kept him awake at night. Cait opened her mouth to protest, but closed it again as Hawkes gaze followed the blue line of the heart monitor, the only sign that O'Connor was still in the land of the living. O'Connor stirred at the commotion, and slowly cracked open an eye.
"Ha-wke" he greeted hoarsley, as Cait took up a lookout position in the doorway. "What's a guy gotta do to get some sleep 'round here?"
Hawkes lips twisted into a grin as he grabbed the plastic chair in the corner of O'Connors room and pulled it up to his bedside.
"You look like hell" Hawke observed as his gaze swept over the Agent
""Might have-somethin' do with the fact I feel like I've gone twenty rounds with Hulk Hogan" O'Connor growled with pain as he attempted to shift position.
"How'd ya get past the guard dogs? "He asked, inclining his head towards the door.
"Luck" The pilot replied succinctly,watching as O'Connor lifted his head off the pillow and noticed Caitlin for the first time.
O'Connor smiled broadly as he slowly lay his head back down on the pillow.
"It's not my- birthday Hawke" he chuckled, a chuckle which quickly turned into a painful, spluttering cough. Hawke reached across and handed the stricken, young Agent a cup of water from the nightstand.
"Here, drink this"
"Thanks, man" O'Connor replied when the coughing fit had subsided. "You got any vodka to go with that?"
Hawke shook his head
"Nah. I'm all out"
"Damn shame" O' Connor muttered as he took a grateful stiffened imperceptibly as his gaze returned to Cait and as much as his battered body would allow, O'Connor leaned towards Hawke.
"Is that her?" He asked in an almost whisper, handing the cup back to Hawke.
"Who?"
"Y'know. Your girl? " O'Connor asked, his eyes searching for any kind of reaction in Hawke's. "Y'know...She's real-"
"She's Caitlin" Hawke answered, cutting him off. He replaced the cup on the nightstand and O'Connor silently congratulated himself for evoking the required response from the stoic pilot. "She's a friend"
O'Connor made a mental note to inform his superiors, once he was free from his current predicament.
At the mention of her name, Cait glanced over her shoulder and flashed him a 100 watt smile
"Hey, there"
O'Connors smile widened
"Beau-tiful and Texan" O'Connor said, completely oblivious to the scowl that had settled on Hawkes face. "It's good to meet ya, Red"
"You too" Cait said quietly, her nose crinkling as she smiled at the charming Agent.
" and if I wasn't..." He lifted an arm wearily to draw Cait's attention to the entanglement of wires that were currently keeping him alive "incapacitated right now, and we were someplace different, I'd be inviting you out to dinner"
"Oh-" Cait smiled, turning away slightly, in an attempt to hide the delicate blush creeping up her neck.
"O'Connor" Hawke bit out, a little more forcefully than he'd intended. Through a combination of pain and medication, the young Agent looked back at Hawke with unfocused just hoped the Agent was lucid enough to remember the events from the warehouse.
"I need to know why you were in the warehouse"
O'Connor took a painful breath and exhaled slowly.
"I'd just got back from an undercover assignment in Mexico, takin' down some of the major drug cartels" O'Connor explained, looking up at the ceiling.
"Dirty work"
"No kidding. Two weeks ago, The boss said he had another job for me, came from the Director himself."
"Burns' assault team" Hawke clarified
O'Connor nodded and turned his head on the pillow to face Hawke. "Y'know, Johnny and I, we trained together. We always had each other's back. See that?" He asked, running his fingertips over a small, circular scar on his right shoulder. "Took a round to the shoulder tossin' him outta the way of a sniper." A tear pricked at the corner of his eye as he recounted the memory. "Johnny was one of the best. The whole thing was a set up, man. Lynch's men ambushed them" he finished, almost spitting out the name of his former Superior. "He murdered them in front of me and I couldn't do a damned thing to stop him!" O'Connor slammed his fist down on the bed and yelped in pain
Hawke scraped a hand across his jaw and gestured towards the Agent
"And they didn't mention anything about assault weapons?"
O'Connor shook his head and took a deep breath as he covered his injured ribs protectively with his arm
"Johnny and his team went in first, to sterilise the location. Then I was supposed to go in, and take possession of the consignment. I wasn't told what the consignment was. I was briefed there would be another operative there, inter agency cooperation an' all that" O'Connor replied with a roll of his eyes.
'Politics' Hawke groused to himself as O'Connor continued, licking his dry lips.
"They gave me your file" O'Connor shot Hawke a meaningful look "You sure have a knack for pissin' people off, Hawke"
He coughed violently again and Hawke handed him the cup of water.
"Thanks." O'Connor pushed himself off the bed slightly and unsuccessfully attempted to manouvre the cup around his IV wire.
"You were sent to kill me?"
"O'Connor hesitated, and lifted his eyes to meet Hawke's
"No Hawke..." He paused. "I was sent to watch your back"
Hawke sat back in the chair and rubbed his chin thoughtfully
"Who gave the order?"
"Like I said, it came from the Boss himself" O'Connor replied with a shake of his head "That's all I know"
Hawke frowned.
"And the F14's?"
"F14's? Hey man, I don't know anythin' about any F14's." O'Connor exhaled deeply. He groaned slightly as he shifted onto his side and looked frankly at the troubled pilot.
"If you want my opinion, and you probably don't, but I'm gonna give it to you anyway, it sounds an awful lot like someone's tryin' to punch your ticket"
Hawke swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat as his thoughts turned to Michael Coldsmith Briggs The Third. Codename, Archangel.
A man that traded in secrets, a patriot to the core and a man of his word. A man he had come to trust, although Hawke never doubted the man's altruistic motives. Hawke remembered it as if it were yesterday, four years ago sitting in the living room in the cabin, they'd struck a deal. Airwolf for St John. Michael had even offered him his protection in exchange for flying missions for the FIRM. Now it seemed, the man he'd considered a friend, was reneging on that deal and those he cared about were being dragged along for the ride.
Hawke glanced over his shoulder and met Cait's hazel eyes. Knowing exactly what Hawke was thinking, her gaze dropped and chewed her bottom lip, in an attempt to reconcile her own conflicted thoughts.
"Y'know O'Connor" Hawke said, shifting in his seat as Cait resumed her watch on the FBI Agents in the corridor. "You sure have a way with words"
O'Connors chuckled faltered as he rolled painfully onto his back
"Yeah, it's one of my more attractive qualities" His green eyes snapped back to Hawke, with a hint of a sparkle that Hawke had been privy to back in the warehouse. "So I've been told"
He folded his hands across his chest and closed his eyes as a fresh wave of exhaustion encompassed the young Agent.
From her position in the doorway, Cait's eyes widened at the three suited men who'd joined Phelps, who were now engaged in what appeared to be an extremely heated discussion.
" Uh-Hawke?"
Hawke glanced over his shoulder at the sound of Cait's voice.
"I think now would be a good time to-" she urged, inclining her head towards the open door. Cait was only vaguely aware of Hawke appearing beside her, as she watched 'Agent Phelps' disappear through the entrance doors, and the two other Agents begin their purposeful approach towards O'Connor's room.
'C'mon " Hawke said, grabbing Cait's elbow "The Jeeps parked around back"
They were half way out of the door, when a small moan had them turning to look at the stricken Agent.
"Hey, Stringfellow Hawke-" O'Connor murmured, barely opening his eyes "Don't you go and forget about me now"
O'Connor's head lolled to the side as sleep finally claimed him, and Hawke couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of his lips.
"C'mon, Cait" Hawke urged, ushering his friend out of the room.
"Where are we going?" Cait whispered, as Hawke ushered her round a sharp left corner.
"Service entrance" Hawke replied succinctly, glancing over his shoulder for any signs they were being followed. If memory served him correctly, the two Agents that initially had the service entrance covered, were now in the hospital lobby, leaving the exit a few feet in front of them completely unmanned.
"Sure, right. Service entrance" Cait murmured, frowning slightly as her thoughts wandered to the cabin and an overdue long, hot bubble bath. ' Y'know Hawke, would it really hurt if we used the front door once in a while?"
Hawke's lips twisted into a grin as his mind drifted to the crews mission a few months earlier that had seen them return to the jungles of Central America to rescue a Diplomats daughter. The Diplomat in question, happened to be a good friend of the FIRM according to Michael, and Hawke had seen his acceptance of the mission as more of an order, rather than a request.
Dom had thrown his back, leaving he and Cait to fly in to the place where they'd taken down Alzar two years previously and unsurprisingly, El Presidente had been less than thrilled at their return. After a frenetic gun battle and subsequent capture by a corrupt military regime, Hawke and Cait had made their escape crawling through ventilation shafts in the Presidential palace , barely big enough for a child let alone two fully grown adults. Hawke didn't hear the end of it for weeks, although his ad-hoc offer to take Cait's students for a whole month and the promise of a completely, 'non-romantic' meal alone at the cabin had seemed to mollify her at the time.
A flash of movement caught Hawkes peripheral vision and he came to an abrupt halt, causing Cait to barrel straight into the back of him. He caught her wrist in an effort to steady her, and mentally cursed himself for being so distracted with his thoughts. Keeping hold of Cait's wrist, he turned to face his adversary.
"It's been a long time, Hawke"
Hawke's eyes narrowed on the man framed in the doorway. It had been almost eight years, Hawke quickly calculated. The familiar chocolate brown eyes looking back at him had a hard edge to them, a seasoned veteran and one of the best operatives the FIRM had ever had. He'd walked away from the FIRM to go deep undercover on an assignment with MI6 and the CIA, two agencies who notoriously didn't play well together. An assignment so highly classified, that even Michael had not been privy to the details. His dark hair was now flecked with grey, and there were a few more deep lines etched deep into his brow but there was no mistaking the formidable presence of his former friend. Almost with a mind of it's own, Hawke's hand gravitated towards the gun stowed in the waistband of his jeans for the second time that day. Cait's eyes widened at the sudden movement and grabbed his hand. She leaned in, so close that Hawke felt the gentle tickle of her breath against his ear.
"Not here, Hawke" she said in whisper so low, that only someone with Hawkes sensitive hearing would've heard.
"Alex-" Hawke acknowledged, quickly regaining his composure as he resisted the urge to glance over his shoulder for any advancing Agents. He couldn't afford to give this man even an inch.
"And Miss O'Shannessy I presume "
The British accent cut through the silence of the empty corridor.
"I don't think we've been properly introduced. " The Agent continued, very well aware of Hawke's propensity of over protectiveness in relation to his female companions.
" I'm Special Agent Alex Marshall. I have to say, that was quite a tale you told to Special Agent Phelps. What was it now, Great Aunt Alice in Texas?" He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets and raised an eyebrow inquisitively.
Hawke stole half a glance over his shoulder at the Texan who shrugged a slender shoulder
"Hey, Can't blame a girl for tryin'" Cait replied with a small smile.
"Yes, quite" Marshall replied, resisting the urge to return it. "Phelps always did have a wandering eye. Still, I can't deny it was very resourceful of you. You know, If you ever want a job-"
"Get to the point, Alex" Hawke bit out.
Marshall's gaze slid to Hawke and he inclined his head towards O'Connor's room.
"What's do you want with Agent O'Connor, Hawke? You two went to an awful lot of trouble getting past my men"
"Sick call" Hawke replied succinctly, his face an impassive mask as he returned the Alex's hard gaze with an icy one of his own. "He's a friend"
Hawke paused as his gaze swept over the man in front of him, and couldn't help but notice the poise of the former military operative, the resigned slump in his shoulders and the twinkle in his eye that Hawke remembered all those years ago, now just a dull spark.
"You, of all people-" Hawke added, gesturing towards his old friend. "Should know what that means. " Suddenly, instincts kicking in, Hawke felt the familiar prickle on the hairs on the back of his neck.
Agent Marshall held Hawke's gaze for a moment, then glanced at Cait whom, he noticed was standing much closer to Hawke than she had been a moment ago. During their time in Vietnam and years together at the FIRM, he'd seen women come and go, and none had even come close to penetrating those carefully constructed walls around his heart. The only one to even come close had been Gabrielle, so unequivocally beautiful in so many ways. He'd only known her briefly, when Archangel had found her at fifteen years old and brought her to the FIRM, he'd been tasked as her mentor and had been sickened to the core on learning of her death on assignment in Libya. A life given so cheaply to a lunatic like Moffett. He'd known Stringfellow Hawke long enough to know he probably wouldn't survive if he lost someone else he cared about.
Nodding slowly, Alex exhaled deeply and scratched his eyebrow with his thumb nail.
"Just to make you aware Hawke, I've got orders to arrest you and anyone with you-" Marshall said, looking pointedly at Cait "-and take you all into Federal Custody..."
Despite a small gasp from behind him, Hawke stood firm.
"Orders from who? " Hawke demanded, his stance wavering slightly as Cait's fingers laced with his own.
The Agent almost smiled.
"If I know you as well as I think I do, you've already worked that out" Marshall replied cryptically. He glanced over his shoulder at a small noise at the end of the corridor. "Listen, You've got about three minutes before the buildings crawling with Feds looking for you and your lady friend "Marshall said, looking between the two "I'll hold them off as best I can."
Hawke glanced at Cait, and she gave a nod of understanding at the look conveyed in his eyes.
"Well, go on! " Marshall exclaimed, shoving his hands into his pockets and stepping aside "Before I grow a misplaced conscience and change my mind"
Needing no second invitation, Hawke's grip on Cait's hand tightened and he tugged her towards the exit.
"String-"
Hawke hesitated at the sound of the softer derivative of his name, and slowly turned, the conflict evident on the older mans face.
"I'm..." Marshall paused and rolled his eyes to the ceiling, doubting for the first time in years, the wisdom in affiliating himself with Stringfellow Hawke
"I'm warning you, as a friend Hawke, Don't get involved in this-"
"What the hell is this, Alex?!" Hawke bit out, the frustration of the past few days suddenly bubbling to the surface. He released Cait's hand and took a step forward, his jaw tensing in anger.
"I've been shot at, dodging the military, the FBI and the FIRM and almost blown straight to hell. Quit stonewallin' me and start talking, Alex, I'm in no mood for all these spy games"
"You really don't get it Hawke, do you?" Alex asked with a huff of laughter "This isn't a game. This goes all the way to the top" Hawke glanced at Cait as he felt her fingers tremble beneath his
"It's about more than just that bird you fly-"
At the mention of Airwolf, Hawkes gaze snapped back to Marshall, the veteran Agent almost shivering at the icy blast that met his chocolate brown eyes.
After a moment of silence, the Agent sighed and rubbed a hand wearily across his forehead.
"Look Hawke, all I can tell you is I was pulled out from a deep undercover assignment in the Middle East-"
"By who?"
Cait spoke for the first time and the Agent shrugged.
"The order came from the top. I wasn't given any details, it was on a need to know basis-"
"Let me guess-" Hawke replied with a trademark scowl "I don't need to know-"
Marshall paused for a moment as he considered his next response
"If you want my advice, leave this alone, Hawke."
The Agents gaze slid to the Texan beside him. "People you care about could end up getting hurt"
Cait immediately saw the warning signs. The familiar set of his shoulders, the sudden tense in his jaw and the angry flash in those impossibly blue eyes as he took a purposeful step towards the enigmatic Agent Marshall.
"String-" Cait urged, gently laying her free hand on Hawke's arm and giving it a light squeeze.
"C'mon, lets go home, huh?"
Meeting her gaze, Hawke felt his anger dissipate and gave a brief nod of agreement before turning to leave.
"Hey Hawke"
Hawke hesitated and glanced over his shoulder.
"Please give my regards to Dominic"
"C'mon Cait" Hawke replied gruffly, holding Cait's hand firmly as he tugged her towards the exit, suddenly acutely aware of the sense of unease that had settled firmly in the pit of his stomach. In their haste to leave, they'd failed to notice two figures in a shadowy corner.
You want me to stop them?" came a voice from the cover of darkness. "Sir?"
The figure took a step forward and glanced down at the silver handle of a Rosewood cane that had been placed firmly against his chest.
"No, Jensen. Let them go"
The figure lowered his cane and stroked his moustache thoughtfully.
"But Sir-"
The figure turned to look at his companion, a glint in his one good eye
"I will deal with Stringfellow Hawke"
AWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAW
Hawke and Cait made the journey back to Santini Air in silence. Cait knew him well enough by now to know how to read his brooding silences, and also when to leave him be. She glanced across at Hawke as he shifted in the passenger seat and briefly met her gaze, before turning his eyes back to the road. She played Alex Marshall's warning over and over in her mind, and it concerned her more than she cared to admit. From their run in with the Agent in the hospital, Hawke clearly had a history with this man, former FIRM and British Intelligence Cait had deduced quite early on in the exchange. Hawke had never mentioned him as far as she could remember, and typically, he hadn't proffered any sort of explanation on the journey back. She made a mental note to ask Dom about him later.
Leaning forward, Cait switched on the radio and began to hum along to the music, hoping to detract from her thoughts from the warning Marshall had issued and begged them to heed. This time, the warning had been directed at her. She knew it, and more worryingly, Hawke knew it too.
Hawke shifted in his seat and stole a glance at Cait, his eyes widening behind his aviators as he found her hazel eyes staring back at him. He quickly averted his gaze back to the road, grateful for the protection his sunglasses provided.
He'd insisted on going to see O'Connor for answers, drawing the woman beside him further into this web of deceit and lies. O'Connor had been sent to watch his back he now knew, but by whom and for what reason still eluded him. Hawke frowned as his mind turned to the seemingly erroneous report of a FIRM mole and non existent weapons Michael had fed them, and felt the familiar bubble of anger rise to the surface. The reappearance of Alex Marshall after all these years couldn't be a coincidence.
He didn't believe in them.
Hawke had known him when he first joined the Airwolf project, an unknown plucked from MI6 and the first ever to go head to head against Moffett and won. It was his deciding vote that had secured Hawkes position as test pilot for The Lady, and Moffett had been more than furious, trying to convince anyone from the President down, he should be the test pilot for Airwolf. It was also Marshall that had uncovered Moffett falsifying flight data in order to get him thrown off the project, and he'd finally walked, tired of all the games and subterfuge. After he'd learned about the attack on Red Star a couple of years later, Marshall had already gone to ground, apparently returning to his hometown in Cambridgeshire due to a 'family emergency'.
Michael had told him shortly after Gabrielle's death, he had deliberately kept him away, already suspicious of Moffett's motives, and Hawke had seen it then, the flicker of worry in the Spy's good eye. Apparently, they'd been childhood friends, living next door to each other in the same Neighbourhood, and Michael had wanted him to carry on with the project should anything happen to him or Marella. It later transpired, Alex Marshall had been married to Archangel's sister Ellen.
He'd been family.
A sound teased the edge of his hearing, pulling him half way out of his reverie, and it took him a moment to realise the offending sound was Cait singing along to the radio. He vaguely recognised the song. He'd returned home early from a fishing trip a few weeks ago and would never forget the sight that greeted him when he happened to spy Caitlin through the cabin window. She was in the living room, her hair still wet from her swim, in nothing but a purple bathing suit singing along to the same song, using a hairbrush as a makeshift microphone. He almost dropped his fishing gear in surprise. His allowed his gaze to travel up her legs, and immediately chided himself for thinking about her in that way, even though it was only for a split second. She was his friend. Who happened to be living with him. In his cabin.
Clearing his throat and ignoring the faint blush to his cheeks, he 'd clattered around on the porch, yelling at her through the door, something about Tet, he couldn't quite remember what as he'd been so distracted at the time.
In an attempt to push the picture of Cait and the purple bathing suit to the back of his mind, Hawke reached forward and switched off the radio.
"Oh no you don't, mister" Cait scolded, swatting his hand away. "You know the rules. I drive, I choose"
Cait bit her lip and giggled at the scowl that settled across Hawkes features and he whipped his head round to look out of the window as the radio resumed its assault on his ears. He'd get even with her later, Hawke thought ruefully, wondering when the hell he'd agreed to any such rules. He made a mental note to offer to drive more often, or hide the keys to the jeep where Cait would never find them. Either way, it had the desired outcome.
His thoughts turned back to Marshall and his warning. Alex had known him well enough back then to know Hawkes penchant for pushing people away he cared about and had also taught him an invaluable lesson. Distractions make you weak.
And one such distraction was sitting right beside him. Marshall had warned him not to get involved, implying those he cared about, meaning Dom and Cait, were liable to get caught in the middle. Hawkes throat closed on the thought. He didn't know what the hell was going on at the moment, but one thing Stringfellow Hawke was sure of, he'd hunt anyone down that tried to lay one finger on the red-headed pilot of his surrogate father.
"Penny for 'em"
"Huh?" Hawke turned to look at Cait
"Y'know, penny for ya thoughts" Cait replied keeping her eyes on the road "you've hardly said a word since we left the hospital"
"Sorry. " Hawke replied gruffly, removing his Aviators and tucking them into his shirt pocket "I guess I'm a little-"
"Distracted?" Cait supplied with a small smile
Hawke sighed heavily
"Yeah " he replied, and for the first time, Cait saw a hint of something in those blue eyes she loved so much, before it was quickly replaced by the impassive mask he wore.
"Hey, it worked right? " Cait said cheerfully, strumming her fingers on the steering wheel. Hawke's lips curved into a smile.
"We talked to O'Connor. That's a good place to start"
"Yeah but I'm afraid I have more questions than answers" Hawke replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"I guess, but look on the bright side, Hawke. At least you know he's not out to shoot you"
Hawke chuckled at the playful glint in Cait's eye
"Yeah " Hawke gestured towards Cait "You made quite an impression-"
"An impression?" Cait said incredulously, her Texan lilt growing stronger. Hawke silently congratulated himself for being the cause of it. "He may not want to shoot you, Stringfella Hawke, but I on the other hand-"
She looked at him and returned his mischievous smile
"You know I never miss "
Cait bought the jeep to a stop at a set of traffic lights, and took the opportunity to give Hawkes shoulder a reassuring squeeze
"We'll figure this out, String, I promise"
Her unwavering faith never ceased to amaze him, and drawn to her wide, honest eyes, he took the hand from his shoulder, and gently laced his fingers through hers.
"Thanks Cait." Hawke said roughly, in a vain attempt to hide the emotion that laced his words. "I mean it"
Unable to tear her gaze away from Hawkes, Cait nodded slowly.
"I know you do"
Hawke looked down at their still tangled fingers and found he enjoyed the softness of her skin against his own. He enjoyed tracing all the freckles on the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb. Suddenly acutely aware the friendly gesture had turned into something much more intimate, Hawke lifted his eyes to meet Cait's. Their gaze caught and held.
"String?"
Before Cait had a chance to respond, Hawke gently tugged her towards him as he leant across the console until they were inches apart. He heard Cait's breath hitch as he drew her closer, and found he could no longer control his own hammering heart. He was out of control and it scared the hell out of him. Whether it was the adrenaline of the events of the last few days, he didn't know but, right now, in this moment he couldn't stop it even if he wanted to.
"Hawke?" Cait said again, her eyes searching his.
Not for the first time, the familiar scent of Cait's berry shampoo invaded his senses and suddenly feeling an urgent need to be close to her, he moved to close the remaining space between them.
Suddenly, from somewhere behind them, the impatient honk of a car horn brought them crashing back to reality. Cait jumped and pulled away, and only a lifetime of suppressing his reactions prevented Hawke from doing the same, the interruption a stark reminder of just exactly what was at stake. They'd been so caught up in the moment, neither one had noticed the lights had changed to green. Cait held up a hand in apology as a driver in a blue convertible yelled a string of expletives and quickly pulled away from the junction.
As her heart returned to somewhat of a normal rhythm, Cait glanced across at Hawke, who sat rigid in his seat. In the time she'd spent with him at the cabin, helping him to take care of Le, she'd finally seen the real Stringfellow Hawke. Kind, caring, loyal to a fault, the gruffness simply a facade, a protective measure. Over time, she'd learnt to read the cues, when she'd managed to get through to him, allowing himself to open up to another person and when he was once again throwing up those infamous walls. Once, over dinner, Dom had even called it an artform. Yet, worryingly, for the first time in a long while, she found him impossible to read. Cait opened her mouth to speak, and closed it again, attempting to convince herself that what just happened, wasn't a complete figment of her imagination. Finally working up the courage to confront him about their almost kiss, she took a deep breath and turned to face him.
"String-"
"Y'know if we take that short cut" Hawke said roughly, gesturing vaguely to his right. We'll be back at the hangar in half an hour " Hawke looked pointedly at Cait and his tone softened "Help Dom with that overhaul"
The next words died on her lips as she realised he was once again throwing up those walls and retreating back into the relative safety of friendship.
"Sure. Right. Help Dom with the overhaul" Cait murmured, almost grimacing at the lame attempt to hide the disappointment in her voice.
Pushing up the indicator a little more forcefully than she'd intended, Cait turned off the main highway onto a single track road. Hawke had stumbled upon the so called short cut when he'd been taking some aerial shots for the Studio, and judging by the lack of any other vehicle within sight, Cait surmised it could have only been used as the local rat run.
She gripped the steering wheel tightly as the Jeep bounced over the rough terrain, silently chiding herself for letting Hawke off the hook so easily. The silence between them was almost deafening as she stole a surreptitious glance at her passenger. His frame remained rigid in his seat and his gaze focussed resolutely on the road ahead, once again masked behind the safety of his Aviators. As usual he was giving nothing away. She returned her eyes to the road and resisted the urge to punch the man next to her in frustration. Just for a fleeting moment, Hawke had given in to whatever-it-was between them, tension that had been building for weeks since she had temporarily moved into the cabin. She was sure Dom had sensed it even though he hadn't said anything outright, hell, even Le had called her out on it. From the age of five, her Mom had repeated the same mantra 'Honey, sometimes in life, you just gotta take the Bull by the horns "
Taking a deep breath, she quickly decided now was as good a time as any to take her mothers advice for once in her life and grab those horns.
"Hawke-" she began, undeterred when she received no response. "What happened back there. Between us-"
She glanced across at the Pilot and frowned as she saw his attention had shifted to the rear view mirror.
"Hawke? What is it? What's wrong?"
Hawke nodded towards the mirror and she soon saw what had captured his attention. A red Toyota pick-up was now following a little way behind, one she hadn't noticed when she'd turned off the main road. She cursed her distracted thoughts.
Before either of them had a chance to react the pick-up sped up, quickly drawing along side the red, white and blue jeep.
"What the-"
"Cait! Get down!" Hawke yelled, ducking for cover as a bullet shattered the side mirror. She slammed her foot on the the gas and pulled ahead of the pick-up, grappling with the steering wheel in an effort to steady the Santini Jeep.
Finally regaining control, Cait glanced over her shoulder
"Hawke! They're comin' back!" she exclaimed, as the dirty red pick-up made another attempt to draw alongside.
"Keep driving!" Hawke growled, snatching his weapon stowed in the waistband of his jeans. Cait obliged, flooring the gas pedal which Dom would no doubt admonish her about later if they somehow managed to come out of this alive. The Santini Jeep lurched forward, throwing Hawke into the side as he took aim at the oncoming pick-up, his gun slipping from his grasp and skidding underneath the seat.
A gasp slipped from her lips as a bullet whizzed past her ear, shattering the windshield and showering her with shards of glass.
Keeping one hand on the wheel, Cait attempted to reach the spare gun stowed underneath her seat. Her fingertips brushed achingly against the barrel, and unable to retrieve it, she cursed under her breath and quickly returned her hand to the wheel.
"Hawke!" Cait yelled as two shots rang out, the bullets narrowly missing the Jeep and embedding themselves harmlessly in a nearby tree.
In one swift movement, Hawke dove to the floor, retrieved his gun and returned fire, one of the bullets and bursting the pick ups front tyre. The vehicle swerved dangerously, giving Hawke enough time to take aim and send a hail of bullets straight through the pick-ups windscreen. A splatter of blood on the passenger side told Hawke he'd hit his mark.
The pick-up dropped back to regroup, giving Cait enough time to take a few deep breaths.
'Think, think, think' she thought to herself, as her eyes quickly scanned for any signs of an escape route.
'Damn Hawke and his short cuts!' Cait almost said aloud, as her gaze finally alighted on a break in the tree line.
"Hang on!" Cait yelled, jerking the wheel to the right so violently, Hawke almost barrelled over the side of the open top Jeep.
She glanced over her shoulder as Hawke scrabbled for any sort of hand hold, the top half of his body hanging precariously over the side of the vehicle. Cait's stomach swooped as she could see the pick-up was once again gaining speed, despite the blown front tyre.
"H-Hold it steady, Cait!" Hawke bit out as Cait returned her eyes to the rough terrain in front.
"I'm tryin'!" Cait returned, narrowly missing a formation of twisted tree branches jutting out from beneath the undergrowth. Finally gaining a secure hold, Hawke heaved his body back into the relative safety of the Jeep, unable to stifle a grunt as he was once again thrown into the side.
The Santini Jeep steadied as bullets zinged against the frame. Hawke took aim and fired twice, taking out the Toyota's remaining front tyre causing their pursuers to veer away and disappear beyond the trees. Exhaling a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, Hawke tucked his gun back into his waistband and clambered back into the passenger seat.
"Whoo, those guys meant business" Cait observed as the Jeep returned to somewhat of a normal speed. "Y'think it's got something to do with us showin' up at the hospital?"
Cait looked expectantly at Hawke. "Word sure gets around fast"
"I'd put a bet on it" Hawke replied roughly,turning to meet her gaze. He suddenly froze, the next words instantly dying on his lips.
"-Cait?!" Hawke choked out, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat as he stared at the blossoming red stain on the shoulder of her plaid shirt." You're hurt"
"Huh?" Cait followed Hawkes gaze to the source of his consternation.
"Oh that, it's just a scratch"
Hawke shifted his eyes to meet hers.
"You're ok?" He asked, the initial sense of panic subsiding just a little. He wasn't sure what clued him in first, the flicker or something in her eyes he couldn't quite put his finger on, or the slight waver in her disarming smile, but he knew Cait was being more than a little creative with the truth.
"I'm fine" Cait smiled, her Texan twang enveloping the Pilot in an unexpected sense of warmth. "I've had a lot worse"
Refusing to dwell on her admission, Hawke reached across and gently slid down the material of her shirt revealing the bloody graze, vivid on her milky white skin. Cait desperately fought to keep her attention on the road as his fingers lightly skimmed her shoulder, his touch sending an involuntary shudder to the base of her spine.
"Cait, that's not a graze!" Hawke growled. He gestured towards a clearing in the trees. "Pull over there. There's a first aid kit in the back"
"Hawke- I told you, I'm-"
She took one look at Hawke's face and realised this wasn't an argument she was about to win.
"Fine" she huffed, pressing her foot on the brake.
Nothing.
She pumped the brake again to no effect
"Hawke! The brakes are out! "Cait shouted as she wrestled with the steering wheel "I can't-"
The rushing through Hawke's ears grew louder as the Jeep gained speed, and he knew with his honed sense of direction and from scouting the area for the studio,they only had a mile or so before they hit a steep drop into a gully.
Flinging his body across Cait, Hawke grabbed hold of the wheel and pulled with everything he had, hoping the extra weight would bring the Santini Jeep back under control. Muscles he didn't know he had screamed with the effort and Cait yelped, a blinding, white hot pain searing through her wounded shoulder as they fought for control. Cait pumped the brakes, both of them wrestling with the steering wheel, but it simply refused to turn. Suddenly a loud bang emanated ominously through the trees as the Jeep hit a large rock, sending the Jeep flying uncontrollably through the air. Hawkes breath left his body as the Jeep slammed back to the ground, flipping onto its side like a playing card. He tried in vain to reach across to Cait whose already injured body was being flung about the cabin like a rag doll. The jeep skidded for along the ground in a haze of red, white and blue for what felt like miles, before finally coming to rest in a muddy pool of water. For several minutes, the only sounds that echoed eerily through the clearing were the gentle tick of the engine cooling and the drivers wheel spinning in the air until it finally came to a stop. Somewhere on the periphery of his hearing, Hawke could just about make out the cry of an Eagle, his last conscious thought before everything went black.