Epilogue.
17. The Storm Is Upon Us.
There was no rest for the wicked after The Lady had been returned to the lair.
Once all the Santini crew made it back to Van Nuys, the Airport was chock full of parked aircraft. - tied down to keep them from potentially getting some unscheduled airtime.
Fixed wing flights had been delayed due to the incredibly strong crosswinds and hangars had battened down the hatches to protect the valuable assets kept inside.
But the first point of business was a debrief at Project Guardian.
After Michael and Marella joined them, they partook in some strong caffeine and bantered until Chapman appeared looking just as spent as the rest of them felt.
It had been a long twenty-four hours.
The group waited for Chapman to start. He leaned up against the desk with his arms crossed, standing in front of the wall full of monitors.
"Well folks, as you're probably aware, our part in Operation Angel Wings was a success….," Chapman said, starting to point out that all the objectives had been completed, even though there had been some unscheduled developments and there was that matter of the waste of a one million dollar missile they had to pay for - which was a small price to pay on the grand scheme of things, so he'd let it go.
Nash suppressed a grin, knowing he needed to look suitably chastised just to let Chapman think he was in charge of anything Airwolf.
Chapman didn't miss the little tweak at the corner of Nash's mouth.
The children were being looked after, their identities were hopefully being found. Most of them would be able to find families and would receive treatment for their trauma for as long as was needed – maybe for life for those who were so damaged that they would become wards until a better solution could be made.
The Maglev had been stopped, the force of the decompression damaging it beyond repair as it was buffeted within the tunnel, those on board were severely injured or killed.
The elites would each be bargained with, if they cooperated, they could live their lives as part of a new script that would benefit the greater operation.
And if not, they would get a Quick Trial and become a statistic.
Mapping would start on the tunnels ASAP. But that wasn't a Project Guardian Operation.
They would have needed hundreds of agents to coordinate the size of that undertaking.
"Hollywood is hard to hide. Wonder how they're going to get away with all eyes watching?" Nash asked quite legitimately.
Chapman was quite proud of this civilian group who'd been thrust into his world.
Nothing was ever what it seemed.
The events that were to unfold may actually happen, but the reason they happen may not be apparent.
Operation Angel Wings was only one part of a mammoth operation that had been on the cards since not long after nine eleven.
The trafficking and the tunnels were only a small part of it.
It was unfortunate then, that Chapman couldn't disclose the greater information because of course, that was highly classified.
The group was interrupted when one of Chapman's staff walked into the room, strode up to him and whispered in his ear.
He nodded his thanks and reached for the remote control.
Flicking the monitors to a California News Station.
Multiple fires had started in the hills near the Pacific Palisades and the winds were threatening to rip a fire storm right through Hollywood.
With the swift action of the Airwolf crew, he was sure that the timing couldn't have been any more advantages.
Babylon was burning.
The E…. Beginning.