I am very sorry it took me this long to finish this story. Life got in the way.

Chapter 8: Saying Goodbye Never Gets Easy

St. John had Dom enter the coordinates into the navigational system that Zeus had given him. They were all quiet. He was directing St. John to land on the west side of Channel Island National Park. Although it was not far from the coast line it was mostly deserted. Getting Zebra squad there quickly would not be easy. The gravity of the situation was hitting them hard.

String rolled his shoulders as he shifted in his seat contenpleteing whether they should abort this mission. He was not liking the odds. "Sinj I think we should head back. We'll find another way to beat Zeus." St. John responded quickly. "No we need to finish this now." Cait waited for String to argue but he remained silent. Was String letting St. John call the shots? She began to worry that his judgement may be impaired having St. John along on this mission. Finally Dom spoke up. " I vote we turn around and go back. I don't like the setup." Sting turned in his seat to look at Cait. "Cait You haven't said anything, What do you think we should do?" Cait was surprised by the question. She never remembered a time that Sting ever second guessed his instincts on a mission. " I'm with Dom. Once we land Michael will not be able to get there in time to catch him in the act. If that happens we show our hand and Zeus walks free. All he has to say is he was actually after us."

St. John shock his head in disgreement. " If we back out now he will never trust me again, I say we finish this." String continued on without a word. The rest of the crew waited for his decision. Dom broke the silence. "String, we're almost there. What's the plan?" Hawke went against his gut feeling. "We end this today." St. John grinned. " You made the right decision Sting. " String prayed to God he was right. Dom sent the coordinates to Michael and said his own prayer. Cait remained silent.

"Michael just responded Sting, he said they can land in forty-five minutes. Sinj you better find someway of stalling him." Dom said as he ran a scan of the area. " That's strange, he only has four armed men with him. Although there's attack helo's, looks like two Boeing AH-64 Apache. Not much of a threat compared to Airwolf." Cait ran a third check on the weapons since they had been in the air. " Yes but keep in mind Dom they think Sinj is flying her. No offense Sinj but they don't see you as a threat. If they thought there was a possibility that String was flying he would have more back up and air power. He must really believe you are on his side." St. John smiled, "None taken Cait. I know my brother is the better pilot." Cait blushed and was relieved no one would be the wiser. She didn't mean to so blantely imply that String was superior to Sinj as a pilot. String couldn't help but chuckle to himself at the way she was defending his abilities as a pilot. The radio came to life. Sinj answered the call. " Yeah Zeus, I'm sitting her down now." He looked over at String. "This is it String. I'll see you when it's over."

String landed close to the group of men but far enough away that they could not be detected. He faced away from the sun so when they looked at Airwolf the sun would be in their eyes. It also put the sun to St. John's back giving him an advantage.

Zeus extended his hand as St. John greeted him. " I was worried you would betray me Hawke."

"Why would I do that?"

" Because your brother is a nobel man, I thought you might carry some of the same traits."

St. John hated the man but needed to stay in character. "The only thing I share with my brother is in name only. Now I lived up to my part of the bargain I want proof that you are going to live up to yours."

Zeus motioned for one of his men to step forward. He handed him an iPad. Zeus entered in some numbers and handed it to St. John. It showed that one million dollars was just deposited in the account that St. John was given by Michael.

Dom let out a sigh of relief. "That should be enough right there to put him away." String kept an eye on Sinj. " You would think so but knowing Zeus Michael needs more. How far away is he?"

"About thirty minutes kid. Sinj just needs to keep talking."

St. John handed the tablet back to Zeus. "Everything looks in order. Now what."

Zeus started to walk toward Airwolf. " Not that I don't trust you but I would like a look at her for myself. I haven't had the privilege of seeing her since your brother stole her from the firm." St. John quickly stepped in front of him at the same time scanning his surroundings and where his men were located. There was no way he could make it back to the safety of Airwolf before his men would take him out. He assessed his options. The Apache closest to him was completely unmanned. It was his best option. He hoped that String already knew his intention and would give him the distraction he needed. As if String read his mind Airwolf began to lift off giving him the diversion and time he needed to make a run for the unmanned Apache.

" Damn it Sinj, move your ass out of there." String had the lady off the ground moving between Sinj and Zeus's men. Cait was ready with weapons. "String we need to get airborne quick. Rocket launcher at 9:00." String was in the air. He soon had a decision to make and little time to make it. Cait and Dom were on board. If he made an evasive move he would avoid a direct hit but that would level Sinj unprotected. He was not positioned well enough to get a weapon off. The choice was not an easy one but the only one for him to make. He lifted off and away banking out behind the rocket launcher but not before he got one off. Not a direct hit but it was close enough to disrupt Airwolf 's systems. String struggled for control. His attention was divided. It took everything he had not to break his concentration and look where Sinj was.

He heard Dom. "String I have full power back up." Before he could ask Cait answered. "Sinj made it up, he headed over that mountain ridge. They were on his tail." String swallowed the bile that threatened to escape his throat. For some reason his only thought was of that last day he saw Sinj before they went on the mission that Sinj never returned from. Sinj was saluting him in a mocking manner that he aways did before he left on a mission. His last words to him were "This is it String, I'll see you when it's over." The same words he just said to him not more then a half hour ago.

String pulled himself from his thoughts. "Dom do you have a visual on him?"

"Hold on, I think I got him. He's flying low, too low. That Apache is right on him. What's he doing, he's backing off his speed." Cait had been holding her breath. "Maybe he's planning on banking hard and coming back around them?" Dom looked worried and String was focused on reaching him in time to help. Cait had a sick feeling. Sting tried to make radio contact. "Sinj, pull up and increase speed. I've got this. Do you read me?" There was no answer.

Hawke came over the ridge as he spotted Sinj skimming low to the ground. "Cait give me a sidewinder."

Cait was about to respond when they all saw it happen. The Apache got off a heat seeking missile.

Time slowed down to a standstill as the ground below lit up. Threre was no sound. Or was there. Someone was screaming. String wanted the screaming to stop. Then he realized it was his own screams he was hearing. Someone was telling him to land. He couldn't move from the spot he hovered over as he watched the flames from down below.

Michael finished talking to the lead investigator and headed toward where Dom and Cait stood. Their attention was on String. He was on his knees with his head buried in his hands. "How long has he been like that." Cait answered without taking her eyes off String. "Since we landed." Michael's face showed his concern. "That was three hours ago. I'm gong to talk to him." Dom grabbed his arm. "Leave him be Michael. There's no reaching him right now." Michael turned to leave but stopped speaking over his shoulder. "You probably already know this, there was nothing to recover from the reckage."

Another hour went by when Cait decided it was time to go. Walking over to where he was she sat down beside him. Without saying anything she put her arm around him and pulled him close. He did not resist. Then she heard the gut renching sobs. He was the strongest man she knew but she also knew he carried his emotions deep inside and gaurded them well. She was afraid this time he would not recover. His grief may win out. Though his sobs she heard his words. "I can't leave him here." How could she tell him there was nothing left of his brother. If he was in his right mind he would know that. She knew his heart had not caught up with what his brain already knew. She had to get him home. Gently she pulled him to his feet and led him to Airwolf. He let her take the lead as if he did not have a mind of his own. She fastened his safety harness and got in beside him. Dom looked back before he started the Lady. He could not bare what he saw. His boy was broken. And the woman beside him was at a loss as to how to help.