Chapter 20

Stringfellow Hawke sat at the computer in Jack's office with Dom and Caitlin sitting on each side. Their eyes were fixed on the flat computer screen before them.

Dom mentioned, "Boy! These computer monitors got a lot thinner."

Caitlin noted. "The Colonel has a desktop with a tower and a laptop too. How come he never brings his laptop like Sam?"

String stated. "His laptop is not set up yet." His scanned the internet search engine. "Least Star Wars is not as popular anymore." he mentioned.

Dom peered. "What's popular now, String?"

He reported. "Harry Potter."

"What's it about?" Dom wondered.

"Some kids who can do magic." he replied unimpressed.

Caitlin pondered. "I wonder if magic is real. Maybe magic is nanites technology."

String paused for a moment. "That would make sense. We should run that one by Daniel and Sam." he reminded himself.

Dom asked. "What's the latest on the Middle East, String?"

"It's a bigger mess now than in our day, Dom." he regretfully replied. "They took out a few dictators and are now in a new Vietnam. Seems things were better when Airwolf was doing missions and Ralph had the suit."

Caitlin asked, "What's the link for 9/11 about?"

String clicked on the link.

The three sat stunned for a moment.

Dom shook his head. "No airplane did that."

"I know, Dom." he agreed. He finished reading the article and then went back to the search engine. "Seems everything got worse. And on top of all that, we got aliens who want to invade and some aliens that are already here."

"Jack and his friends are up to their eyeballs." Dom concluded.

Caitlin spied the photo of the young boy on Jack's desk. She picked it up and read the back. "Charlie. First Grade."

Dom stated, "That must be his boy. He lost him."

"Maybe we can change that?" String pondered.

"How?" Caitlin asked feeling sad for Jack's loss.

"We get back, find young Jack and make friends with him. Gain his trust and tell him what will happen and how to stop it." String stated.

"Wouldn't that mess up the timeline?" she asked.

He agreed. "Probably. But it's already messed up. Us coming here already messed it up."

Dom suggested. "We can help save the boy. I can't just write him off as fait. He's a little kid."

String agreed. "Let's do something for Jack."

The door swung open to Jack's office. General Hammond stepped inside. "I wondered where you three went." he stated upon finding the crew. "I have good news. Dr. McKay reestablished contact with the mini gate. You three can go back home now."

String glanced at his crew. "Ready to go back home."

Dom pleaded, "Can we have a little more time on the internet?"

"Why?" String asked.

"Look up the lotto numbers." he mentioned.

General Hammond stepped over the desk and looked upon the screen. "I see you found the Colonel's computer. How did you get password to get access?" he pondered.

String replied. "There wasn't one."

Caitlin stated. "The man does leave his doors open and doesn't lock anything."

Hammond let out a deep sigh upon finding out that Jack did not use a password to protect the computer. He also wasn't surprised. "I see." he shook his head. He then handed a note to String. "Make sure you give this letter to my younger self." he instructed.

String took the sealed letter. "Will do, General."

Dom asked, "Do I still get to be a Colonel when I get back?"

Hammond beamed. "You certainly do. Now that the gates have been reconnected I am assigning your team a number and a permanent place in the S.G.C.. This way you can work both ends of the wormhole. In 1984 you are the crew of Airwolf. In 2004, you are SG-20."

"Twenty!" Dom asked confused. "Why so far down the list?"

"We have twenty five teams." he explained. "Team twenty has been inactive for over a year now. It's far enough down on the list that no one will pay much attention to it."

String smirked at his friend. "Kind of liked having that SG-1 patch, Dom?"

He motioned towards his sleeve. "I did!" He looked to Hammond's amused face. "How about we be S.G. Airwolf?"

"I don't think so, Colonel." he replied.

Caitlin asked, "Will we get a forth person on our team? I noticed most are four."

Hammond offered. "You can have Dr. McKay."

"No!" String huffed.

The General gave a slight smile as he knew McKay tended to annoy others. "I will let you choose a forth man." he told him.

Dom stated. "We got back. We save Sinjn and I'm putting Sinjin on our team."

"As I recall, Colonel O'Neill was drawing up plans to rescue Saint John Hawke with Airwolf." he told him. He then admitted. "It's rather strange. Whoever the aliens are behind the mass amnesia are still affecting us. I can't remember if he went or not."

"That's alarming." String told him.

Caitlin asked, "What could give the world amnesia and still be altering memories?"

"Nanites." String told her. "Some kind of nano alien tech. Something undetectable."

Hammond suggested. "Tell your theory to Major Crater when you get back, Major Hawke."

"I will." he promised.

Short Time Later

Dressed in green battle dress, armed with rifles and carrying a bag with their civilian clothing String, Dom and Caitlin waited before the large Gate as it dialed. They were thankful to be going back to 1984.

Caitlin stated. "I'm glad George is letting us come back and help."

"Me too." String told her.

Dom sighed, "Least we finally get away from McKay."

No sooner than the words cross Dom's lips than Dr. Rodney McKay entered the Gate room in civilian attire and carrying a duffle bag and a computer case. He smiled brightly. He came up to String and the crew. "General Hammond is sending me back to make some adjustments on the mini gate." Rodney didn't noticed the groans and eye rolling.

Dom grumbled. "I swear George is doing this on purpose."

Rodney asked, "Doing what, Colonel?"

"Sending you with us." he barked.

Caitlin smirked. "I'm sure Sam is just going to love this."

"No doubt." String agreed wondering if Hammond really did send Rodney just to annoy others.

"Um." he wasn't sure how to respond.

The event horizon established and the all clear was given.

String started up the ramp with Caitlin. The pair soon stepped into the event horizon and were gone from view.

Dom looked at Rodney. He gave warning. "Now listen to me, McKay. If I catch you bugging Sam or Caitlin for that matter, I will take you up in a chopper and throw your ass out at a hundred feet."

"That could break both my legs." he concluded. He found it odd as it wasn't much of a death threat.

"That's the idea." Dom huffed. "Go!" he ordered.

Rodney knew not to mess with Dom. He quickly made his way up the ramp and through the event horizon.

Dom looked up at the window overlooking the Gate Room at Hammond standing in the window. He then understood Jack's roll and the weight upon the man. He gave a nod and then walked up the ramp himself and through event horizon.