This is the final story in my Direwolf series, but not the final story in this universe. The story is written, I just need to proof each chapter and upload it. There is a significant chance I may post a chapter or more a day. Future stories (I am already working on one) will include a reference to DWU (DireWolf Universe) if set in this universe.

Allen Hawke rode the motorcycle he checked out of the company motor pool that was now a part of his cover. Stopping at the gate to the compound he presented his credentials and was allowed in. He rode past the hangers where various jets that secretly belonged to the U.S. Government were stored. The jets were simply used to transport them to airports where they would board bigger jets that would transport them to a classified location where the prototype aircraft was being built and tested. Pulling up to the main building he parked his bike and went inside to meet with his handler for this mission.

"Mr. Hawke, it's good to meet you. Have a seat. I assume you have been briefed on what we are doing here and elsewhere?" Allen said "Yes sir." The man said "My name is Michael Edwards, I requested an operative that was an experienced fighter jet pilot who is qualified as a test pilot. Looking at your folder you have an impressive list of civilian certifications and a most impressive history as a combat helicopter pilot. What I do not see is experience with military jets, specifically fighters." Allen said "I can't give you my resume, I'm afraid the part you want to see is so classified that even I can't read it and I was there for it." Michael laughed and said "When I saw your last name I had hoped it was your cousin they were sending, I worked with him before." Allen said "I didn't know that, Alex is a good pilot but the Air Force probably has him doing something he can't get away from." Michael then said "Everything from this point on is classified. We are developing an alternate sixth generation fighter for the U.S. Air Force. Someone has attempted to access design specifications for the flight control systems, an area that the Chinese are significantly lagging behind us technologically. We want you to determine who it is, and if possible what their motives are, then report back to us." Allen said "Understood. Anything else?" Michael said "Nothing at this time." Allen then said "I guess I need to visit the engineering team and convince them I am an electronics engineer and a qualified test pilot."

Allen was put to the test by the other engineers and by the end of the day he had them convinced he was nothing more than a broke engineer with a load of college loan debt and a test pilot certification. As he rode his motorcycle home he considered his next steps. Allen knew he wouldn't be qualifying in the simulator until next week, then the jet the week after. Before getting to the apartment he had arranged for Allen stopped at a convenience store and purchased two hundred dollars worth of scratch off lottery tickets. Back at his apartment he read the instructions and scratched them off. After finding he won on four of the twenty eight tickets he went for a walk and cashed in the winners which he used until he had no winnings left. He tucked all the losing tickets with the receipts from the nearby race track that a company operative provided him with into his saddle bag and went to bed. The next morning he went to work back at the design facility, bringing his saddle bags into the office, leaving them at the front desk while he worked. In his cubicle he went to work checking the work done on the flight control systems and flagging things he felt needed to be reviewed or changed. This continued for three days and he was beginning to think the spy wouldn't approach him at this stage. All had just signed out of office and was about to leave the base when Julius Marinos approached him. "Hawke, some of us are going to the club to celebrate George and Elise getting engaged. You should come with us." Allen, having no other leads decided to accept the invitation. Refusing to drink, since he rode his bike and had no designated driver, Allen was able to remain sober and observe the rest of the staff. George, and his new fiance, were pretty wasted. George had no way to access the computer as he was a hardware fabrication guy. Elise was not a concern as she was one of the few people who had unrestricted access to the files and would not have tripped the alarms trying to access the files. Allen observed the engineers and decided he was going to have to improve his game if he was going to get the spy to reach out to him. Allen casually mentioned some of his work on files that the suspected spy attempted to access before excusing himself from the party and going back to his apartment.

The next morning Allen was going over a handful of design changes when Julius approached him and said "We may have a problem." Allen asked "What do you mean?" Julius said "I think there may be a flaw in the master flight control module." Allen asked "What do you mean?" Julius said "I have designs I developed for a similar, if not identical system." Allen then demanded "What are you getting at?" Julius answered "I saw part of the designs for it, I think was stolen from me. My company had an engineer poached by Henderson Systems, I suspect he stole the designs and provided them to Henderson." Allen countered with "You own a company capable of developing the technology used in this project and you are working as an electronics engineer for someone else?" Julius tells him "Like you I am working undercover. I was embedded in the project by the Department of Justice and had my cover identity backstopped by them." Allen countered "Why do you think I'm working undercover?" Julius explained "Because I checked you out. The gambling problem, student loan debt, and everything are too perfect not to be bait for a spy. Besides I was too young to remember it but I met your father. My mother told me all about how honorable he was." Allen then asked "Who are you really?" Julius answered "My real name is Gregory Stewart, I tend to go by Greg but until we get this resolved I suggest you call me Julius. I own a number of companies, most applicable to this case is Stewart Avionics. Have me checked out." Allen then asked "How would you be able to tell if the design in the database is yours?' Julius answered "Every design I have developed features a unique circuit trace in specific areas. I can show you how to decode it. There is one trace code about halfway from the bottom near the center of the board that will decode as SAI for Stewart Aviation Industries. I can show you where to look and how to read it." Allen then asked "You said there is a possible design flaw, what can you tell me about it?" Julius said "Versions from about six months after the employee left until now use a different CPU. The CPU used in the older designs has a floating point processor with a math error. The new processor corrected the flaw but required a significant redesign of the master flight control module. Even if their design is original, it would be subject to the same issue if they make use of the same CPU." Allen then asked "What do you want me to do?" Julius said "Check me out with the Department of Justice, and once you are satisfied that I am not a spy I will show you how to find and read my trace codes. I will also give you the manufacturer name and part number to the affected CPU. If they use the affected CPU in an original design they can correct the issue, if they are using my design the DOJ wants to speak with them." Allen said "You stay here while I check your story out. I won't blow your cover but if you flee I will have you detained." Julius replied "I would do the same."

Twenty minutes later Allen and Julius were setting in the Edwards office going over the design with Edwards, who looked like he was about to have a coronary because he was mad at Henderson Systems. "So this is clearly your technology, they didn't even bother changing any aspect of the actual design. Can you show me proof that the flaw is a legitimate concern?" Julius asked "Do you have one of the master flight control modules in the simulator?" Edwards replied "We do." Julius said "In that case while flying a simulated mission press the stick to the left, pull all the way back for three seconds, press forward to neutral, wait about a second, and then pull all the way back again. The master flight control module will seize up and refuse to accept any other inputs. The flaw can be triggered in a number of ways but this is the easiest and can be done in a flight simulator." Allen asked "How do we recover?" Julius replied "You can't. That particular process will need all inputs at neutral when restarted, and that can only be done at the ground." Allen then said "I guess I need to go get some flight simulator time."

Author's Note: I am going to post two chapters to start this story off. With Allen busy doing undercover work it would be a bad time to need Airwolf...