SINS OF THE DAUGHTER
A/N: I do not own or make any profit off of the Airwolf name or any of the characters involved within. My stories are for entertainment purposes only.
AWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAW
Chapter 7
Archangel motioned to Hawke to pick up the ringing phone. At the same time that Hawke lifted the receiver, Michael picked up an extension and Marella hit a button on her satellite computer that would hopefully start tracking the call if Hawke could keep Angelica Horn on the line long enough. Everyone in the room held their breath as Hawke answered.
"Hawke." Was all he said as he picked up the receiver.
"Good afternoon, String. It's good to hear your voice again," answered Angelica on the other end of the line. "Before we go any further, why don't we just make this easier and go ahead and put me on speaker. I know you have everyone there anyways. I have no secrets to hide from them."
Hawke shrugged towards Michael as if to ask the spy what he should do. Michael just nodded back as Hawke replaced the receiver on the handset and punched the button that would allow everyone in the room to listen in on the conversation.
"Okay, Angelica, everyone's listening. Let's get on with this." Hawke stated, coldness dripping from his voice.
"Really, String, I don't think I like your tone. "
Hawke glanced over to see Cait grimace at Angelica's use of his first name.
"I'm not here to play games, Angelica. I suggest you tell me what you want before I just decide to hang up."
"Oh, I don't think you want to do that, String. That wouldn't bode well for your little woman there. By the way, Ms. O'Shannessy, I hope you can hear me. I understand you've been feeling a little under the weather today. Those sleeping pills can be quite hard to swallow sometimes, if you'll pardon my pun. I'm sure you'll be feeling better soon though, " Angelica said with an almost audible smirk in her voice.
Hearing Angelica's comment, Hawke looked over at Caitlin who was staring back with a look of surprise on her face. Hawke, upon taking a closer look, could see that the grimace that he had seen on Caitlin's face a few seconds earlier probably had nothing to do with Angelica's voice. Her skin was flushed and she appeared to be breathing a little too rapidly. And Hawke knew a look of pain when he saw it. It didn't take long for Hawke to understand what was happening.
Walking over to Caitlin, he squatted down in front of where she was seated. "Cait?" he asked as he could see the scared look on her face as she, too, began to realize what was happening. Reaching out he touched her cheek and could feel the heat coming off her skin. Dom, Michael and Marella all looked on with confusion.
"Dammnit, Angelica!" Hawke raged as he stood back up and spun towards the phone. "What the hell have you done?"
"Nothing that can't be reversed. It's just a little insurance, shall we say, to make sure you agree to my terms."
"Which are?" Hawke asked in a hurry, not wanting to waste any more time.
"Simple, String. You come to me, bring Ms. O'Shannessy with you but no one else, and once you've agreed to come away with me on my terms, I'll make sure she gets the anti-toxin she needs and I'll release her. "
"And what's to keep me from hanging up right now and getting her to a hospital instead?"
"Because there's not enough time. Only myself and Dr. Gray know what was in that pill. I'm not going to tell you, Dr. Gray CAN'T tell you as I've made sure of that, and by the time a hospital ran tests to figure it out, I'm afraid your little Texan friend there will be dead. Not to mention the fact that it's a very painful way to go…she won't go easy." As if on cue, Caitlin groaned and slumped forward in her chair clutching her stomach.
"Mother of God, " Dom exclaimed as he reached her just in time to keep her from falling to the ground.
Seeing Caitlin in that much pain, was almost more than Hawke could bear. "Fine, tell me where and when. We'll be there. But Angelica… you better not be bluffing. So help me, God, if Caitlin doesn't make it, or is harmed in anyway, I'll tear you limb from limb myself."
"I'm nothing if not a woman of my word, Stringfellow Hawke. Now, here's how it's going to work…." She said as she proceeded to outline her instructions.
Within a few minutes, the plans had been relayed and the phone connection had been cut. Immediately, most of the attention in the room was focused on Marella, who just shook her head. "I don't know how she did It, but the signal was scrambled beyond recognition. I was unable to get any kind of location on her at all," she said with regret.
"Hawke?" Caitlin whispered in a raspy voice from the chair where Dom was holding her up.
"It's okay, baby. I'm here." He said as he knelt back down next to her taking her hands in his.
"I'm okay, Hawke." Cait said as she tried to reassure the man she loved. "Just don't let her win. No matter what happens to me, don't let her win. Promise me, okay?"
Tears coming from his eyes, Hawke looked at her and took a moment to compose himself. As much as he hated it, he knew he had no choice but to do what Angelica Horn had asked. He could only hope against hope that she would keep her word. He didn't care about himself, he just needed to do whatever he could to save Caitlin. "She won't win, baby, I promise you. Together, you and me, we'll beat her." Now he just prayed he could keep his promise.
AWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAW
Within the hour Hawke, Dominic and Archangel were almost finished going over the instructions that Angelica Horn had given Hawke while Marella watched over Caitlin, trying to keep her comfortable. The three pilots had spent the time trying to find a loophole within the plan but so far had had no luck. In less than 30 minutes, Hawke and Caitlin would have to leave in order to meet Horn's timetable.
As it stood, the plan was for Hawke and Caitlin to take Airwolf and fly her to a remote, uninhabited island just off the coast of Southern California. Angelica had learned of the ruse that had been pulled on her father and had made it clear to Hawke that no mock Airwolf better make an appearance or she would have Caitlin killed on the spot. The island was also an ingenious location in that there was no surrounding terrain to hide radar signals and visibility was clear for miles so that Angelica's people would be able to see or hear anything approaching from any direction long before it ever reached the island. It made it near impossible to bring in a second back-up chopper or plane undetected behind Airwolf.
Once they had landed on the island, there would be another helicopter waiting. Hawke and Cait were to disembark Airwolf, change into a new set of clothes that would be waiting for them, get in the 2nd helicopter and follow the flight plan that would be in the cockpit. The second chopper would have no radio communications and they would only have a set amount of time to get to the location disclosed on the flight plan. If they did not show up within that amount of time, a remote bomb rigged to the helicopter would be detonated, killing both Hawke and Caitlin.
"Damn, she's thought of everything." Archangel said with frustration as he tapped his cane on the hangar floor. "I don't like it Hawke, once you get to the island, we will lose all communications and won't have any way of tracking you or knowing where you are even headed. You'll be on your own. "
"Yeah, but we'll still have access to Airwolf. I mean once they've taken off in the 2nd chopper," Dom said hopefully.
"Not before we're long gone, Dom." Hawke responded. "I'm sure that place is going to be heavily occupied with Angelica's men. Even if they don't try to take control of Airwolf themselves, they'll keep you from it until it's too late."
"What about a homing beacon?" Dom asked.
Shaking his head, Hawke answered. "Won't work. That's why the change of clothes. She wants to make sure we don't carry anything with us."
"Well I'll be damned if I'm just going to let the two of you go in there completely helpless!" Dom said as he slipped off his ball cap and ran his fingers through his curly hair.
"They may not have to…" said Michael thoughtfully as he brushed his moustache. "I may have an idea."
TBC….
A/N Wow, two chapters in a day. The muse is worn out! Hopefully she'll recover quickly and I'll have another update before too long.