"Hey, what's up Dom?" asked Cait as Dom walked out of the office with his hands on his hips.

"I've just had a phone call from Abe Johnson" said Dom, still looking deep in thought, as he perched himself on the edge of the workbench.

"Abe Johnson? Should I know him?"

Oh, no sorry Cait. Abe and I flew together a bit during the war, we were good pals actually… for a bit, had each-others backs, you know. He got me out of trouble on more than one occasion I can tell you, and I don't just mean in the air! Huh, but then….. oh well then we just lost touch. He moved to Texas and started an agricultural contracting business and well you know where I ended up" chuckled Dom "and now, after all these years he rings out of the blue."

"Did he have bad news for you or something?" asked Cait?

"No, he rang to ask for a favour. He needs my help, but I can't help him…..well I can help him, but not by myself, if you see what I mean?"

"Not really Dom" smiled Cait.

"You know I said he set up an Agricultural Contracting business? Well it seems much of his work these days is crop dusting."

"That's big business in some parts of Texas, Dom."

"Yeah, so I believe, anyway apparently Abe has managed to break his arm in some accident or other and he says if he doesn't get the rest of his work completed by the weekend he will lose his biggest contract which it seems he can ill afford to do."

"So, he needs someone to do some crop dusting, right?" asked Cait

"Yeah, that's about the size of it."

"So, what's the problem?"

"Oh, I was just thinking…..previous attempts to help my old pals have always, well how shall I put this…let's just say there has always been a drama!"

"Do you mean Mr Cairns at the oil field?"

"Yeah, him and Eddie."

"Eddie?"

"Oh, that was before you came looking for String. Eddie was a drunk, might still be a drunk, I haven't seen him for ages now. He lived out in the desert and kept telling everyone he was hearing noises and seeing things at night. Course, I didn't believe him, thought it was the drink, you know. But then I took him home one night and I saw and heard what he had been going on about for myself. I woke up in a compound with Eddie having been injected with some mind drugs or something."

"What happened?" asked Cait, sounding more than a little alarmed.

"String happened" smiled Dom "they captured him too, but he got us out, oh and stopped a nuclear missile and WW3 along the way."

"Wow!" exclaimed Cait "just another day in the life of Stringfellow Hawke then."

"Yeah, you know it Cait" smiled Dom.

"So, anyway, despite all that you want to help Abe don't you? I can tell you want to help him Dom."

"Yeah, I guess I do Cait."

"You know I can do the work Dom and I don't mind heading down to Texas for a couple of days if it helps."

"Sweetheart, I can't ask you to do that, I know you have plans."

"Dom, I was thinking of cancelling my date tomorrow anyway."

"Really? Or are you just saying that now?" questioned Dom.

"No, really, I mean, my hearts just not in it ya know."

"Oh? I thought you liked Simon?"

"I do Dom. We get on well and all that, but I don't know, my hearts just not in it…..as usual and I don't want to go giving him the wrong idea. So, you will be doing me a favour Dom and giving me the perfect excuse to cancel" smiled Cait.

"Well if you're sure, then I'll ring Abe back and tell him we can help."

"Yeah, do that Dom and hey it will also give me a couple of days away from your paperwork, whilst you and String have fun at the studios!"

"Ha!" laughed Dom. "you love my paperwork"

"Yeah, like a toothache" laughed Cait. "say, where in Texas is it?"

"No where near your folks I'm afraid, but I can always give you a couple of days off afterwards if you want to go and see them?"

"No, that's fine Dom, perfect in fact. The last thing I want to see is my Mom at the moment."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she is back on her crusade to marry me off and have me pregnant in a heart beat" signed Cait "and quite frankly I could really do without that!"

"She just worries about you Cait, that's all, she is your Mom."

"Yeah well when it comes to my heart, I do enough worrying for the both of us! Call your friend back Dom and tell him I'm coming. Is there a chopper free I can take?"

"No, we need them all for this stunt job…oh mama mia! exclaimed Dom

"What?"

"I was going to say I'll fly you down there this afternoon, but I've got a meeting with the movie Director at 2pm."

"What about String?"

"Well I doubt he would be too chuffed about having to attend the meeting on my behalf, but I reckon he would fly you to Texas. He should be back soon, I'll ask him. So Cait, are you really sure you are happy to do this?"

"I told you Dom, it's fine. I like to be able to help my friends to you know."

"I don't know what I'd do without you Cait" smiled Dom wrapping Cait in one if his big bear hugs.

"Right, well I had better go and pack a few things" said Cait once she had managed to extricate herself from Dom's embrace."

"Good idea, I'll go ring Abe now"

As Cait drove out of the Airport in the direction of her apartment, String was just coming back in the Santini Air Jeep.

"Dom!" said String loudly as he walked into the hanger.

"Yeah, I'm here" said Dom coming out of the office.

"I've just seen Cait leaving, is she on half day or something?"

"No, she is not. She has actually kindly offered to help me with something, well when I say me, I mean an old friend of mine."

"What old friend?" asked String

"Did I ever mention someone called Abe Johnson to you?"

"Abe Johnson? No, I don't think so…..oh no, hang on, wasn't he the one who accused you of stealing his girl?" smirked String.

"Yeah, yeah, that's him, and no I didn't steal his girl, that was all in his head!" exclaimed Dom.

"You haven't seen him for years have you Dom?"

"No, I haven't, but he rang me today asking for a favour."

"So, what does all this have to do with Cait?"

"Abe runs an agricultural contractors in Texas, mostly crop dusting. He has had an accident and needs a pilot to finish this week's work, otherwise he will lose his business."

"Why can't he get a pilot from Texas, surely that's where you would expect to find someone with crop dusting experience."

"Yes, well he says they are too expensive."

"Dom, you are charging him for this work aren't you? Cait will get paid, wont she?"

"Yes, Cait will get paid, but you let me worry about the details, you hear."

"So, how did Abe hurt himself then?"

"He didn't say, just that he had had an accident that's all."

"And you didn't think to ask him how?" asked String rubbing his chin as he did sometimes when thinking.

"No, I didn't ….now wait String, what are you implying here?"

"Oh, nothing Dom, it's just, you know, on previous experience I don't like it when people suddenly appear in our lives out of the blue without any real explanation. Maybe you should have Abe checked out by Archangel."

"Now, hang on String, I am as cautious as the next person, but Abe is an old pal, he lives in a small Texas town, he is the salt of the earth. Yes, I haven't seen him for years but what makes you think he would pose a threat to us? You answer me that eh?"

"He probably doesn't Dom, but Cait is going down there on her own and we don't know what she is walking into and that makes me nervous."

"Cait can take care of herself you know String."

"Yeah, I know, but I can take care of her to can't I?" replied String gruffly, folding his arms and partly turning away from Dom.

"Say, why don't you fly Cait down there this afternoon?" I was going to ask you anyway as I have a meeting at the studios. Then I'll fly down at the weekend to pick her up. That way you can meet Abe and satisfy yourself that he isn't about to abduct our girl. Ok?"

"Sure Dom, if that's what you want." said String as he turned and walked out of the hanger.