Scowling, Michael glared at the three men seated across the desk from him. As if one Hawke hadn't been enough to drive him to distraction, now he had four of them.
"So, let me get this right," he said glowering at Stringfellow Hawke leaned nonchalantly against the door frame, his arms crossed. "You want me to let you offer up sensitive weapons information you just stole and to risk Airwolf on this harebrained scheme. Are you mad, Hawke?!" Michael thundered. "Why in Hade's name would I do that?!"
"Because it'll work, Michael," Hawke retorted, uncoiling himself from the wall.
"And if it doesn't?" he demanded.
"It'll work."
"It better, you're betting your life and Airwolf on it."
"Hey, String - he cares!" Saint john mocked good-naturedly.
Archangel speared him with a baleful glare.
Carrying coffee cups for everyone, Marella interjected herself into the conversation. "I don't like it any better than you do Michael, but we've got to do something," she said setting the tray down with a thunk.
"You're right, of course," Archangel agreed sighing. His free hand smoothed his mustache thoughtfully. "Perhaps…"
"So, who makes the contact?" Caitlin interrupted, worry dancing in her blue-green eyes, as she glanced at her husband and the rest of the group.
"I will," Hawke said.
"You can't String," Saint John contradicted almost immediately. "We need you in the cockpit of Airwolf. It'll have to be someone else."
"Well, you're not going," Caitlin protested. "You just got shot. You're not in any shape to be running around playing soldier."
"I'll go," Roper said, speaking up for the first time. "I'm the logical choice - I've got the most training of who's left and they've got less targets to come after me with than they do you guys. Besides, it was my problem to start with - seems only right I should be a part of solving it."
Mentally, Caitlin gave a sigh of relief. She knew it was selfish, but she was glad for once it wasn't Hawke risking his neck.
String didn't look any too happy about the decision, Archangel mused watching the subtle tightening of his jaw and the way his eyes narrowed at Roper's announcement. He never was, when someone took a greater risk than him.
Which is why his next statement caught Michael by surprise. "Fine," he announced his tone almost unconcerned. "Cait will work the engineer's console and Saint John will take the kids."
"Right," Saint John agreed. "Cait can run engineering and … hey, wait a minute! What do you mean I can take the kids?" Saint John's eyes and Caitlin's both flew to Hawke in confusion. "Where am I taking the kids, String? And why?"
Hawke merely raised an eyebrow at his brother. "As you said, Caitlin's the best choice for engineering."
"Yeah, but…"
"And as Cait said," Hawke continued as if Saint John had never spoken. "You're in no shape to be running around playing soldier."
"But String…" Saint John protested.
"Besides Saint John - Roper makes a valid point. The kids do become a target. Hopefully however, they should be safe enough with you at the cabin, and I can think of no one I'd rather have watching their backs."
"Oh,…" Saint John subsided mollified and somewhat embarrassed. Hawke rarely handed out praise, to hear that in the other's presence was a high compliment, especially from him."
"Well," Michael said easing the awkward moment. "Then I guess it's settled. Roper will make contact and go in. Hawke will fly and Cait's got engineering…"
"Not quite," Hawke interrupted, shifting positions on the bookcase where he'd leaned. "Roper'll make contact, but when he goes in I'll be backing him."
Anguished, Caitlin's eyes flew to him. Studiously, Hawke avoided her gaze. I knew it, she thought, I knew it. That was just too easy. I should have known better. Frustration and her stomach clenching in unease made her want to strangle him. An angry "unh-h," escaped her.
Bright blue eye flashing to her, Archangel read her distress instantly. Knowing he better do something to defuse the situation in a hurry, he shot Marella a glance.
Giving the barest of nods, she acknowledged his look. "So," the slender agent murmured, "where will you be staying Roper?" She poured coffee into Caitlin's cup, long slender hands efficient.
"Huh?" Roper questioned confused. Hawke and Saint John looked a little bemused as well.
"Well," she continued, "obviously you can't go home - it wouldn't be safe, and Seb's condo is out of the question, so…"
Realization blossomed over the younger man's features almost at the same instant it hit Hawke and Saint John. Marella had pointed out what should have been immediately obvious to all of them. Roper needed a safe place to stay until they went in. There could be no mission if he got captured before they even got started.
Saint John and Hawke exchanged glances. Hazel eyes met sapphire blue the offer unspoken. After a long pause, Hawke shook his head almost imperceptively.
The statement when it came was definitive. "He'll stay at the cabin with us, Michael. No one can get in or get out of there without us knowing."
"Gonna be a tight squeeze," Archangel felt compelled to warn. "You're really not set up for that many people out there."
"We'll manage," Hawke replied.
"You sure you wouldn't rather I find a place for Seb and Roper here?" Michael asked.
"I said," Hawke rejoined, "we'll manage," his tone brooked no argument on the matter. The narrowed eyes and crossed arms further emphasized the discussion was over. "It's time we were going."
Sensing the mission was rapidly sliding out of his grasp, Archangel made one last move. "Well, at least take one of the Firm's helicopters. They're equipped for a secure transmission should you need it and no one without security clearance has been near them."
The warning was implied, but Hawke caught it immediately - unlike the 'copters left at the airfield. Painfully his thoughts slid back to the events of ten years ago and the explosion that had claimed his surrogate father, Dominic Santini's life. He drew a sudden, shuddering breath eyes widening momentarily.
"Thanks, Michael," he said somberly, grasping the other's arm.
Archangel met his eyes seriously. "Not a problem, Hawke," he stated quietly. "Just come back safe."
Hawke shrugged with a wry half-grin and turned to leave behind the others already filing out.
"Oh, and Hawke?" Michael called out.
"Yeah?" he said inquisitively turning back.
"You bring the Lady back, safe," he ordered.
"Will do," Hawke grinned, tossing him a mock salute before he was out the door.
The door slammed shut behind him. Michael shook his head and headed back to his desk, limping.
"You think they'll be okay?" Marella's voice cut across his thoughts.
"I sure hope so," Michael responded grimly as he lowered himself into his chair. Templing his fingers thoughtfully, he looked at Marella. "Now here's what I want you to do…"
Heading out to the helipad, Hawke and the others split into two smaller groups.
"Seb," he began. "Why don't you take the Firm's helicopter? Head on out to the cabin - Saint John and Roper can go with you. Cait ands I'll pick up the kids and meet up with you there."
"You sure?" Seb asked, sensing the tension between Hawke and Caitlin. Saint John and I can get them if you'd rather."
"Nah," Hawke said, his lips curving. "We're good. We'll get 'em. See you at the cabin." Fondly, he slapped his younger brother on the shoulder. "Besides, somebody better get Saint John a place to rest before he falls down," he commented nodding his head at Saint John where he sat wearily waiting in the co-pilot seat of Marella's helicopter.
Glancing at their older brother, Seb frowned, worry creasing his forehead.
Hawke gave him a little shake. "He'll be fine. Just get him home so he can rest…okay?"
" 'kay," Seb agreed. He trotted off across the tarmac.
Caitlin watched him go fondly. "He's a good kid," she smiled, a bit sadly.
"Hmm-m?" Hawke asked, swiveling his head towards her. "Yeah, but not such a kid anymore," he whispered idly, watching him go.
Turning, they both headed towards the Santini Air jet ranger. Hawke automatically adjusting his longer stride for Caitlin's shorter one. Affectionately, he draped his arm over her shoulders as they went.
Getting to the ranger, Hawke opened Cait's door and gave her a boost up, before heading around to his side. Swinging up, he reached for the headset.
"Hawke," Caitlin began.
"Yeah?" he said giving her only a fraction of his attention as he ran through the pre-flight.
"Do you have to be the one to back Roper?"
"Huh?" he asked bemused.
"I said, do you have to be the one to back Roper? I have a really bad feeling about this."
"Somebody has to, Cait," Hawke said glancing at her in surprise. "You know that."
"I know," she agreed. "But can't it be one of Michael's agents? Somebody, anybody but you?"
Fingers halting in mid-movement Hawke turned and stared at her. "Why not me?" he asked searching her face earnestly.
"I told you, I've got a really bad feeling about this Hawke. Don't go."
"I can't not go, Cait," Hawke said shrugging and going back to the instrument panel. "Don't worry about it. I'll be okay."
Caitlin bit her lip, tears welling in her blue-green eyes. She knew she was going to be sorry, but she just couldn't seem to swallow the words. They bubbled up in her throat and threatened to choke her try as she might to keep her thoughts to herself.
"You don't owe him, Hawke and it's not worth you getting killed over!" Cringing at her own words, Cait sucked in a heaving breath as tears dripped down her cheeks.
Hawke stared at her in stunned astonishment, even as he processed the words. "What do you mean I don't owe him?!" he exploded abruptly, his own temper escaping. "He's mine and I left him! Left him in that damn hell hole for ten years - without even his mother to protect him. Do you know how that makes me feel Cait? Do you?" he yelled.
Sobbing in earnest now, Caitlin shook her head. "You didn't know String. How could you…" she began.
Furiously, he faced her, slinging down the headset. "Well, obviously I didn't try too hard to find her, did I?" he spat, his tone full of self-loathing. "If I had, things might have been different - that kid might not have spent his childhood roaming the streets and stealing just to eat!"
"String…" she tried again, laying her hand on his arm.
Angrily, he shook her touch off. "You can't possibly know how that makes me feel, can you Caitlin? Can you?" he demanded, any semblance of control long gone. Frustrated beyond measure he slammed his hand into the dash above the instrument panel.
Flinching, Caitlin jumped at the sound.
Static crackling, the radio sprung to life. "Santini One, Santini One, this is Angel Two do you read? Come back."
Frozen, String merely stared at the radio.
"Santini One, do you read?" the voice came again.
Heaving a huge sigh, Hawke looked away from Caitlin and reached for the handset. "Santini One here," he said gruffly. "I read. Come on back, Seb."
"Everything okay?" Seb asked, his voice crackling. "we never did see ya'll take off on radar. Come back."
"We're fine, Seb." Hawke answered, meeting Caitlin's tear-filled eyes and dropping his own. "Just had an unexpected delay. We'll be airborne in a couple of minutes. See you back at home base."
"Okay, Angel Two out," Seb replied, the radio crackling again and then falling silent.
Hawke put the hand mike back. Wearily, he raked a trembling hand across his face and through the short, dark strands of his hair. Leaning his head back, he sighed in despair.
"Look Cait," he began. "I'm sorry. I really am. I know you worry - goodness knows I would in your place. But I can't not go.
I owe the boy whether you know it or not. I could never live with myself if something happened to him and I knew I could have prevented it. You'd be the same way if it were Nicky."
Caitlin reached across the seat to place her hand on the back of his neck. Searching his face for a moment, she wondered when he'd gotten the new worry lines at the corners of his eyes. "I understand," she whispered. "You're right, I would be the same if it were Nicky." Leaning in she kissed his jaw, breathing in the soft musk of his scent.
Reaching over, Hawke held her close for a long moment - his face against hers, their breathe co-mingling damply. "You know I love you, don't you Mrs. Hawke?" he murmured.
"Yeah," she gave a tear-choked laugh. "You'd better." Giving him a quick peck on the cheek, she pulled away and handed him the headset. "Come on, we'd better go before Seb sends out the search party."