CHAPTER 5

It didn't matter anymore. He was beyond pain, beyond everything. It didn't matter whether he fought or gave in; he was here, wherever here was. A sudden jolt brought him back to semi consciousness. Even it was painful. He could feel himself slipping away again and with it all the pain… Another jolt. More pain. Why did they want to bring all this pain back to him? He wanted to let it go. He finally knew he was dying. There it was, they wanted him back, but there was nothing left, no power, no life, no will. He'd finally gotten too far over his head; he just couldn't handle the pain anymore. Cait, Chance, they were there; they wanted him back, needed him, but he had nothing left to give. He'd already given it all he had. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and the slow beeping for the heart monitor turned into one long mournful siren.

"Bring him back!" the doctor ordered and started giving directions, trying to keep him alive, but there are some things only God can do.

\A/

Airwolf landed on the river bank and Mike climbed out. "You win Chrissy. Give me the antidote and Marella and you can have Airwolf."

Marella struggled in her grasp.

"Why Mike? You know you can't get back in time to save Stringfellow. Call now; I'm sure you'll find him already dead."

"Just give them to me, and it won't matter to you anymore. I told you, you win, but I still want Marella and I doubt you're going to sweeten the deal any."

"Have it your way, but don't worry about your friend. I took the liberty of calling my friend at the hospital, and he said Hawke died just a couple minutes ago."

Mike pretended that didn't hurt him in the least. "I'm sorry to hear that. Hawke was a good pilot, but at least now I can have the pilot's seat full time."

"Forget so soon? You gave Airwolf to me. Personally, if I were you I'd stay in England. Your country is going to be experiencing heavy missile fire." She tossed her head defiantly and hoisted herself into the pilot's seat. "Have your antidote and your girl. I'm the new chief pilot of Airwolf." She sat down in the seat and shut the hatch door.

Like a wolf waking from her slumber, Airwolf growled and came to life, but not without question.

'Chief pilot- Chrissy Moffet. Error. Does not match. Chief pilot Stringfellow Hawke.'

'Orders?'

Nothing.

'Orders? Where was he?' it was like a young child without a mother, no one to turn to. Her programming told her to use a secondary pilot if the primary wasn't available. But which one? There were several secondary's that wanted different things. 'Chief pilot, Stringfellow Hawke?'

\A/

"Daddy!" Chance wailed.

Caitlin tried to hush him. "Shh, no daddy. You have to be quiet."

He continued fussing.

She took him outside. How could she explain to a child only one that his father was probably already dead? She couldn't understand it all herself. "Chance, daddy's gone. He isn't coming back. Baby, I'm sorry," she herself started crying.

"Da-ddy," he insisted then remained quiet.

Finally she took him back inside.

"What was that about?" Michael queried.

"He wants to see his daddy. Can you make it happen?"

"Cait," what difference did it make? "He's gone. I could hear the heart monitor myself."

"Please, Michael."

The doctors gave one last effort to restart his heart. This time they got a faint beat. "He's a fighter," Dr. Thomas said adumbratively. "I don't think it's going to do much good though unless we can find an antidote. The poison has already spread throughout his body and he can't afford to get any worse."

"I know," Caitlin answered, "but I need to see him one last time."

Chance sat on the bed next to the lifeless, dull body. 'He'd spent too much time here,' she reflected sadly, 'this wasn't what he would have wanted. She knew he would have preferred to die just about any place other than a hospital, and yet… It was too late for that now.'

"Daddy woof."

"No, daddy can't play dogs today," she gave the slightest half smile. At least she still had Chance.

"Daddy woof."

"Do you woof like a dog?" she played, String would want her to, or at least prefer that to her crying over him.

He looked almost frustrated. "Daddy woof."

"Daddy's wolf," she said aloud in realization.

He gave her a wide smile. "Woof."

Was something wrong with Airwolf? Maybe, that was where Saint John had gone; he tried to find some antidote.

'Orders?'

"Sinj…." he struggled. Every force in earth seemed to be against him, but at least he knew his brother had tried. It was comforting to know he hadn't just left.

'Sinj, scanning… Closest file reference to Sinj, Saint John Hawke.'

'Orders?'

What was that? Random words appearing in his head, now that was odd.

'Orders?' the voice repeated.

"Duh, it's Airwolf," he scolded himself. String had said something about her 'talking to him.' "How could I be so stupid?"

Chrissy whirled around to see Saint John in the back. "I should've known you'd come along."

'Open right hatch door,' he commanded.

'Hatch open.'

The right door flew open with a powerful whoosh, and the second Chris made the mistake of turning around to see what it was, Saint John ended their problems with Moffet.

Mike and Marella took advantage of the situation and climbed in.

"What took you so long?" Marella asked.

"Let's just say we had a few mishaps."

"Where's Hawke, uh String?"

Hospital. Hopefully still alive." 'Airwolf find the quickest route back to the Van Nuys Community Hospital.'

'Affirmative.'