Storytime with Rachel F Hundred

‘What have you got there?’ Dominic Santini peered over Stringfellow Hawke’s shoulder at the blueprints he was examining so intently. ‘That looks like the cabin.’

‘It is the cabin.’ Hawke agreed.

‘Oh? Is this to do with the repairs?’ The cabin had been shot up a couple of weeks previously by a rogue general who had been after Airwolf, the technologically advanced helicopter that Hawke flew in exchange for the FIRM, an intelligence agency, finding his MIA brother.

Hawke’s blue eyes shifted from the plans and met Dom’s blatant curiosity head on. He sighed. ‘Kinda. I thought I’d make a few changes.’

‘You’re extending the cabin?’ Dom’s eyebrows shot up.

Hawke squirmed on the office chair and shrugged. ‘No big deal.’

‘Well, lemme see.’ Dom snatched the blueprint away from him.

‘It’s just some extra bedrooms and a bathroom out the back.’ Hawke muttered.

Dom nodded and smiled as he caught the other change; the upper sleeping deck was being extended too, the main bedroom space expanded and closed off. It looked like Hawke wanted some privacy when he had guests these days. ‘Looks good, kid. And I don’t mind telling you it’ll be nice having a proper bed when I come up to the cabin. I’m getting too old to sleep on couches.’

Hawke nodded relieved at the lack of teasing. ‘Henry figures it should be done in a month.’

‘Henry?’ Dom groaned. ‘You hired Henry to do the building?’

Hawke’s lips twitched. ‘He’s a good guy, Dom.’

‘He’s a thief. You should have seen what he charged me for rebuilding after the fire.’ Dom moaned. His eyes narrowed. ‘How are you paying for all this anyway? I know the FIRM’s covering the cost of the repairs but I can’t see them agreeing to an extension.’

Hawke sighed. Whenever Dom used that parental tone he always caved. ‘I might have dipped into my trust fund.’ He admitted sheepishly.

‘The one your parents left for you?’

Hawke nodded.

‘The one you swore you’d never use?’

Hawke sighed. ‘You’re going to give me a hard time over this, aren’t you?’

Dom pressed a hand to his chest, mouthed the word ‘me?’ and pretended a hurt expression.

Hawke gave him a dirty look and took the blueprint back. Dom moved to the coffee pot, laughing.

Hawke traced a finger over the new lines of his home, his blue eyes following the straight angles. ‘I…er…thought I’d ask Cait to move in with me when the cabin’s done.’

Dom stopped pouring his coffee and looked over at Hawke’s tense profile. He swallowed hard. Hawke’s friendship with Caitlin O’Shaunessy had evolved into a relationship and he knew Hawke was struggling with his fear that he might lose her like so many others in his life. Asking Caitlin to move in…Dom knew exactly how big a deal that was for Hawke.

‘Well, you two might as well make it official.’ Dom said careful to keep his tone light. He finished filling his mug before turning back to smile encouragingly.

Hawke’s eyes smiled back at him.

‘When’s she due back?’ Dom asked. Caitlin had gone back to Texas a couple of days before after receiving a call that her sister had given birth to a baby girl.

‘She said tomorrow.’

Dom heard the worry in the even tone. ‘It’ll be OK, String.’ Caitlin’s parents hadn’t approved of either her decision to return to LA after she’d been shot saving Hawke’s life or her decision to get involved with the pilot. It had been the reason why Caitlin had refused Hawke’s offer to accompany her.

Hawke sighed and was saved from having to reply as the phone rang. ‘Santini Air.’

‘Morning, Stringfellow,’ responded Michael Coldsmith-Briggs III, the deputy director of the FIRM. He was Hawke’s main contact for Airwolf missions and had turned into a good friend.

‘Michael.’ Hawke frowned picking up on something in the other man’s voice. ‘What’s wrong?’

Michael sighed and he spoke as though he did it reluctantly. ‘I have something for you.’

‘I thought you wanted to keep the Lady under wraps for a while.’ Hawke reminded him; the attempt to grab Airwolf had all the team in agreement that it was best for her to remain quiet for a while.

‘It’s about your brother.’ Michael said.

Hawke tensed. ‘What about Saint John?’

‘Can we meet?’ Michael asked. ‘It’s not something I want to discuss over the phone.’

‘Michael…’

‘Please, Hawke.’ Michael insisted.

‘I’m on my way.’ Hawke put the phone down and immediately started to the door, Dom followed anxiously.

The journey to the FIRM’s headquarters was made in silence. Dom glanced over at the silent man beside him. Hawke’s boyish face was set, his blue eyes hidden behind aviator sunglasses, his arms folded across his chest. Dom hoped whatever Michael had was worth it. Hawke had been through too many disappointments where his search for his brother was concerned. There had been too many times when a suspected sighting had turned out to be nothing more than a rumour and when the truth had been revealed as a lie. Just a few months previously, Hawke had discovered that Le, a boy who he had thought was Saint John’s son, was no relation to him at all after reuniting him with his mother. Dom knew losing Le, losing the idea of his nephew, had been a blow to the younger pilot. The familiar landmarks brought his attention back to his flying and Dom crisply requested the approach to the helipad.

Hawke frowned as he and Dom made their way from the roof through the corridors on their way to Michael’s office. They turned into the outer office and Meryl, one of Michael’s agents, leapt to her feet.

‘You’re to go straight in.’ She went to open the door.

Hawke put a hand gently on hers before she could. ‘What’s going on Meryl?’

‘You’ll see inside, Hawke.’

Hawke exchanged a wordless look with Dom. He took his hand away and Meryl opened the door, standing back to let him through. He walked in and came to a stunned halt. Dom almost barrelled into him, only managing to side-step at the last moment to stand by Hawke’s left shoulder instead and scan the room to see what had caused Hawke to stop so suddenly. He caught sight of an older man with white hair and blue eyes sitting an armchair and glowered.

‘Alex Brannigan.’ Dom bit out. ‘Which rock did you crawl from under?’

The distinguished looking man unfolded himself from the armchair and rose to his feet slowly. ‘Dominic.’ His blue eyes were on the younger man. ‘Stringfellow. It’s been a long time.’

‘Yeah. Not long enough.’ Hawke’s eyes slid to Michael accusingly.

The spy met the searing blue gaze evenly with his good eye and pushed his glasses back up his nose. ‘He says he has information about Saint John. He would only show it to you.’

Hawke looked back at the older man in disgust. ‘He has nothing.’ He turned away as though to leave.

‘I know where Saint John is.’ Alex said.

Hawke stopped and turned back. He crossed his arms. ‘Where?’

‘Central America.’ Alex quickly said. ‘He got captured by a rebel army about a month ago.’

‘Do you have any proof?’ Hawke asked.

Alex stooped and pulled a folder out of a battered leather briefcase. He handed it to Hawke.

Hawke took it and flipped it open, scanning through the contents. His eyes fastened on a fuzzy photo and he pulled it out for a closer look. ‘That’s Saint John.’ He confirmed roughly. ‘That’s my brother.’ He glanced at Alex. ‘How did you get this?’

He shrugged. ‘Does it matter?’

‘I guess not.’ Hawke said.

‘I know the coordinates of where he’s being held.’ Alex straightened his shoulders. ‘I can take you there.’

‘We can take it from here.’ Dom stated and gestured at the folder. ‘We’ve got the information.’

‘Really. Because the coordinates aren’t in there…they’re only in here.’ Alex tapped his head.

Dom bristled. ‘I should have known you would have tried something like this.’

‘Dom.’ Hawke laid a hand on the older man’s arm. ‘What do you want?’

‘That I come with you on the mission.’ Alex shrugged. ‘That’s all.’

‘Why?’ Hawke asked suspiciously.

Alex sighed. ‘Because your mother was my sister and you’re my nephew, Stringfellow. You and your brother are the only family I have.’

Hawke stared back at him for a long moment.

‘Is it so unbelievable that I would want to make amends?’ Alex asked pleadingly.

‘Given what happened the last time you said that to me, yes.’ Hawke stated.

‘This time is different.’

‘Really.’ The word dripped with disbelief.

‘I’m dying.’

The stark words echoed in the office. Hawke tried to remain unaffected but his eyes shot to his uncle’s.

‘I have cancer.’ Alex sat back down. ‘There’s nothing they can do for me. I only have a few months.’

There was a long silence. A muscle jerked in Hawke’s jaw as he considered his uncle solemnly. ‘Fine.’ He looked at Michael and handed him the folder. ‘Bring him to the usual place in two hours.’

Michael nodded.

Hawke spun on his heel and marched out. Dom gave Alex a disgusted look and followed after him. They got in the chopper.

‘String…’

‘I don’t want to talk about it.’ Hawke snapped. He folded his arms and ignored the way Dom’s lips tightened before the older man started the engines and powered up the helicopter. Hawke felt a twinge of guilt and he found himself back in his memories…

There was deathly silence in the cemetery, the only sound the drone of the priest and the sobs of the women in the gathered crowd. Hawke felt his eyes smart and blinked away the tears. The memorial stone carrying his parents’ names blurred; there were no coffins – there had been no bodies to bury. Lost at sea. The words resonated in his brain and he latched onto them with a quiet desperation. If they were lost then maybe his Mom and Dad weren’t dead…

Hawke looked up at his older brother and wished he could be like him. At fourteen, Saint John already seemed more like a young man than a boy. His light brown hair was almost bleached blond by the sun; the hazel eyes were steady though, dry. Hawke resisted the urge to slip his hand into his brother’s. He owed his life to Saint John. The storm had hit the boat unexpectedly, swept him overboard. Saint John had jumped in after him and had kept him alive. Both brothers still bore the bruises and scrapes from their experience. But the rescue boats that had pulled them from the water hadn’t found anything else but the wreckage of their family boat…

Hawke bowed his head and pushed away the memories of the cold surging ocean, the winds and driving rain so incongruous with the heat of the sun on his back and the blue sky above. He felt an arm around his shoulder and glanced up. Saint John looked back at him. Hawke belatedly realised the crowd was breaking up, the priest finished. His Uncle Alex was thanking the man, shaking his hand. Hawke frowned. His Uncle Alex was the only family he and Saint John had now. They didn’t really know him very well; his mother’s brother had been in the army with his father and Uncle Dom, had introduced his parents…he’d heard that story a lot and he knew Uncle Alex had become a spy…he thought that was cool but his father had always seemed unhappy on the rare occasions when he’d come to visit…

‘You kids OK?’

Saint John and Hawke both looked at the craggy tear-stained face of their father’s best friend. The older man had been a stalwart presence for both of them since the loss of their parents.

‘We’re fine, Uncle Dom.’ Saint John answered for both of them. If his voice shook a little the older man ignored it.

Dom patted their backs awkwardly. ‘Come on. We’d better head to the house.’

Their house seemed packed with people, milling around with food and drink. Hawke escaped to the back porch and sat on the swing there, pushing it restlessly with one foot. With his back to the kitchen door, he was all but hidden. He heard the back door open and sighed.

‘Thought I’d find you out here.’ Saint John handed his brother a cold bottle of beer.

Hawke took it with a frown. His father had always said he was too young. He took a hesitant sip and almost gagged at the taste. He swallowed it with difficulty not wanting to lose face in front of Saint John. He steadied the swing so his brother could sit beside him.

‘What’s going to happen to us?’ Hawke asked after a little while.

‘We’ll be OK, String.’ Saint John raised the bottle he held. ‘We always got each other.’

The back door opened and his brother held a finger to his lips for Hawke to be silent. They both cautiously sneaked a look. Their Uncle Alex was stood on the other end of the porch lighting a cigarette, his shoulder length brown hair, the same colour as Hawke’s own, moving in the slight breeze. The brothers had both just exchanged a relieved look at not being discovered when the door opened again.

‘Alex,’ Dom’s voice sounded over the small porch, ‘we have to talk.’

‘Dominic…’

‘I know Jane and Alan left you custody of the boys,’ Dom said, ‘but I’d like to know where you are so I can visit.’ He sniffed. ‘They’re great kids.’

‘I’m not taking the boys.’ Alex said flicking the cigarette away.

Dom stared at him. ‘What d’ya mean you’re not taking the boys?’

‘What am I going to do with two teenagers? I’m travelling all the time with my work. I can hardly take them along on missions, can I?’

‘What are you saying?’

Alex stuffed his hands in his pockets. ‘I’ve made arrangements. They’ll be taken into state custody tomorrow morning.’

‘You can’t be serious.’ Dom spluttered. ‘They’re your family. They’re all that’s left,’ his voice broke, ‘of Jane and Alan.’

Alex shrugged. ‘Well, I don’t want them.’

Hawke went to grab his brother’s hand and missed. Saint John burst from behind the swing, unable to stay silent any longer.

‘Well, we don’t want you either.’ Saint John said.

Hawke moved up silently to stand by his brother’s shoulder.

‘Now, Saint John. He didn’t mean it that way.’ Dom said trying to calm the temper he could see raging in the young Hawke brothers.

‘Yeah. He did.’ Hawke muttered. He might only be twelve but he knew in his gut that his uncle had meant every word.

‘We don’t need you, Alex.’ Saint John continued. ‘So get out.’

‘You’re so like your father.’ Alex said. He took two steps to the kitchen door and found his way blocked. ‘You heard the kid, Dominic.’

‘I heard him and I heard you and now you’re going to hear me.’

Saint John and Hawke exchanged a surprised look; they’d never heard their father’s best friend use that particular threatening tone before.

‘You’re going to go straight to a lawyer and you’re going to write a letter handing all custody rights to these boys to me. And then you’re going to call the state and tell them you made a mistake.’

‘And why would I do that?’

‘Because if you don’t, I’m going to call your bosses and tell them a few things about you, Alex.’

‘You wouldn’t.’ Alex stared at Dom who stared right back at him.

‘Try me.’

Alex’s blue eyes flickered to the brothers and back to Dominic. ‘You want them. You can have them.’ He stepped around the other man and walked back into the house.

Dom let out a slow breath and turned to look at the young faces staring back at him uncertainly. ‘You boys don’t need to worry. You’ll come live with me.’

Hawke could feel the weight of his brother’s hand on his shoulder. ‘Thanks for the offer, Uncle Dom, but we’ll be fine on our own.’ Saint John said.

‘I’m sure that’s true.’ Dom agreed. ‘But I don’t think that’s what your Mom or Dad would want.’

‘You really want us?’ The words tumbled out before Hawke stop them.

‘I really want you, kid.’ Dom confirmed around the lump in his throat.

Hawke and Saint John looked at each other. They would always have each other but maybe there was another way…

‘We won’t be any trouble, Uncle Dom.’ Saint John promised solemnly.

Dom harrumphed. ‘I wouldn’t make promises you can’t keep. You do your best and I’ll do mine. Deal?’ He held out his hand.

Saint John reached forward and grasped it. Hawke laid his hand over theirs. They broke apart all three of them blinking back tears.

‘Well, I’d better go start moving people out, huh?’ Dom took a step back toward the door. ‘Oh and Saint John?’

‘Yeah, Uncle Dom?’

‘Your brother’s too young for beer. Get him a coke.’ Dom winked at Hawke and closed the kitchen door leaving the brothers out on the porch together.

Hawke finished the last of the checks on Airwolf’s systems before he closed the door and reached for the heavy helmet. He adjusted it into the most comfortable position he could.

‘Are you sure about this, String?’ Dom’s voice crackled through the headset.

Hawke sighed. They’d made preparations in almost total silence. ‘No but it doesn’t look like I get much of a choice.’ He pressed the buttons to start Airwolf and bring the systems online.

‘I know I’ve said it already, String but I’ll say it again; I don’t trust him.’

‘I know.’ Hawke glanced into the back of the cockpit and met Dom’s serious eyes. ‘Neither do I.’

Dom nodded and turned his attention to the engineer’s console and the readings flickering across the screen. Hawke returned his attention to the front.

‘All systems green, String.’

Hawke grasped the cyclic and raised Airwolf off the ground; her landing gear retracted. For a moment he hovered in the semi-light of the Lair before rising up through the natural funnel and into the daylight.

‘Did you get hold of Cait?’ Dom asked.

‘Yeah.’ Hawke replied as he hit the turbos and sent Airwolf zipping over the Valley of the Gods.

‘I guess she wasn’t too happy at being left behind, huh?’

Hawke’s lips twitched. ‘Kinda an understatement, Dom.’

Dom chuckled. ‘She would have understood though, kid. We don’t have enough room.’

Hawke silently agreed with Dom. Caitlin had understood; she’d just told him to be safe…and that she’d be waiting for him when he brought his brother home. Damn but he missed her. He eased up on the speed and lowered Airwolf into the grassy clearing they used as a rendezvous spot. Michael’s white limo was already waiting for them. Hawke got out and walked over to collect his uncle.

‘That’s some machine.’ Alex said admiringly.

‘You ready?’ Hawke said brusquely.

Alex nodded.

‘I need to speak to Archangel. Dom will sort you out and get you settled.’

Alex gave a smart salute and headed over to Airwolf. Hawke noted absently that the hair might be white now but he still wore it shoulder length. He sighed and turned to Michael. ‘You have the folder?’

Michael nodded. ‘Marella’s checking it out. As soon as we know anything, we’ll be in touch.’

‘Thanks, Michael.’ Hawke glanced at Airwolf where Alex was zipping into a spare uniform. ‘Cait’ll be home tomorrow.’

‘I’ll bring her in on it.’ Michael promised.

Hawke patted Michael’s arm and headed back to the helicopter. He settled into the pilot’s seat and put his helmet back on whilst the systems came back online.

‘Wow.’ Alex said. ‘This is incredible.’

Hawke glanced at him before he took them up. They hovered above ground for a moment before shooting forward.

‘You going to tell us where we’re headed?’ Hawke asked.

‘Leguardia.’ Alex said. ‘I’ll give you the exact coordinates when we’re over her border.’

‘Leguardia.’ Dom repeated. ‘But that place is a war zone.’

‘It’s a hell hole,’ corrected Alex. ‘There was a benign dictatorship in place until two years ago when the people decided to overthrow the government. They’ve been locked in a civil war ever since.’

‘America has no interest in Leguardia. Why would Saint John be sent there?’ Dom commented suspiciously.

‘America always has an interest, Dominic.’ Alex responded. ‘We’ve had an American science team operating in Leguardia for three years working with a rare flora species which has been shown to have remarkable medicinal powers.’

‘You mean like curing cancer?’ Dom asked.

‘Exactly like curing cancer.’ Alex confirmed. ‘Luckily both sides seemed happy to ignore them but a month ago the CIA received intelligence that the fighting between the rebels and the provisional government was going to run right across the scientists’ camp. They sent in a team, your brother’s team, for a dawn extraction. Something went wrong. The team didn’t make their pick up and there has been no contact with them or with the scientists since.’ He sighed. ‘Those photos I showed you were the first images we’ve had to even suggest they’re still alive.’

‘What about the scientists?’ Dom asked.

‘No sign of them at all.’ Alex said. ‘We’re not hopeful they’re still alive.’

‘We’re?’ Hawke picked up on the word thoughtfully. ‘You still working with the CIA, Alex?’

‘I’m on medical leave of absence.’ Alex stressed.

‘So that would be a yes.’ Hawke said dryly.

‘Does it matter?’ Alex asked. ‘I’m here, aren’t I?’

‘You never do anything without a reason, Alex.’ Hawke said. ‘I learnt that a long time ago.’

‘I’m not denying I’ve made mistakes in the past.’ Alex said crossly. He glanced over at his nephew. ‘Although I guess introducing you to Michael wasn’t one of them.’

Dom harrumphed.

Hawke’s eyes slid coldly to his uncle. ‘I wouldn’t exactly call leaving me for dead in a cell with him an introduction.’

‘You got out.’ Alex pointed out. ‘And you wouldn’t have been stuck at all if you’d followed my orders and hadn’t tried to rescue him.’

‘You know Alex, you had better be on the level about this because if you’re not, you won’t have to worry about only having a couple of months of life left.’ Hawke snapped.

‘I see you still have your father’s temper.’

‘Don’t mention my father.’ Hawke bit out. ‘Actually just don’t speak.’

Alex went to protest but the icy blast from his nephew’s eyes across the cockpit had him hold his tongue. They flew on in silence.

—

‘Need a hand with that?’

The Texan drawl had Marella whirling from the computer to face the open door of Michael’s office with a pleased smile. ‘Caitlin!’ She crossed the office to give the younger woman a hug and ushered her in. The redhead was wearing a simple green skirt and top which complemented her colouring and shaded her eyes the same colour. ‘We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow.’

‘Yeah.’ Caitlin shrugged, chucking her coat on a chair. ‘Well, after Hawke’s call…’

‘You’re worried about him.’ Marella concluded, her dark eyes gleaming in her smooth café latte complexion.

‘I’m always worried.’ Caitlin said dryly. ‘And surprised. This is the first I’ve heard of this uncle of his.’

‘Well, from what I gather, they’ve never exactly been on speaking terms.’ Marella said pouring Caitlin a glass of juice from Michael’s bar.

‘Yeah. I got that impression.’ Caitlin admitted. ‘Who is this guy?’

Marella tapped in an instruction on the computer and Alex’s photo appeared on the screen across the office wall along with the details of his file. ‘Alexander Brannigan. One of the CIA’s top operatives. Joined them straight from army intelligence.’

‘Hawke said that his uncle chose his work over raising him and his brother.’

‘Right.’ Marella said brushing her wiry black curls out of her eyes. ‘He handed over the custody rights to the boys to Dominic and took off, seemingly without a single regret about walking away from the only family he had.’

Caitlin bit her lip. ‘Cold.’

‘He has a reputation in the business as being completely ruthless.’

‘A well deserved reputation.’ Michael’s voice had both women turning to smile at him in greeting. He raised an eyebrow at Caitlin but made no other comment at her arrival as he entered the office.

‘How well do you know him Michael?’ Caitlin asked.

‘We crossed swords a number of times when I was out in the field.’ Michael admitted. ‘Actually he’s the reason I met Hawke.’

‘Oh?’ Caitlin took an armchair as Michael limped over to sit in the white leather chair behind his desk.

‘Brannigan and I were both after the designs to a new Russian submarine. I got there first, hid the designs where I could retrieve them in safety later but then I got captured, ended up in a prison in Siberia.’ Michael tapped his cane on the floor, his mind back in the freezing cold concrete cell. ‘The terrain was treacherous the only way in or out was by plane. They trained pilots for months especially to make the landing. If you didn’t know how to do it you’d either stuff the plane in the ground or you had to be an exceptional pilot.’

‘Like Hawke.’ Caitlin said softly.

Michael looked at her as though surprised to find her sitting across from him. ‘Yes. Like Hawke.’ He stroked his moustache. ‘Hawke was working for NASA when Brannigan approached him with some story of making amends. I think he presented the trip as a bit of an adventure, a way of them getting to know each other after their estrangement.’

‘But it was all just to get the designs.’ Caitlin concluded.

Michael nodded. ‘Hawke got them into the prison. Brannigan was meant to come to my cell alone so he could get me to tell him where the designs were and then he would leave.’

‘Without you.’

‘Standard operating practice.’ Michael commented. ‘Only Hawke appeared unexpectedly, realised Brannigan intended to leave me. He insisted they rescue me. Brannigan left, told Hawke if he had any sense he’d go with him. Hawke had almost gotten me out when the guards appeared. He ended up in the cell with me.’

‘Sounds like him.’ Caitlin said.

‘Anyway to cut a long story short, we worked together and got out a day later.’ Michael said. ‘Caught up with Brannigan. Hawke told him not to bother contacting him ever again.’ He sighed. ‘I don’t think they’d spoken since.’

‘Until today.’ Caitlin said unhappily.

‘Until today.’ Michael agreed.

‘Why did he approach you?’ Caitlin asked. ‘Why not go to Hawke directly?’

Michael shrugged. ‘Alex is a strategist. He knew he had a better chance of Hawke believing his story if I was associated with it.’

‘And do you believe his story?’ Caitlin put her juice down and pinned him with a hard stare.

Michael pushed his wire frame glasses back up his nose. ‘We’re checking it out.’ He nodded at Marella.

‘Brannigan is dying.’ Marella confirmed. ‘I’ve examined his hospital records. He’ll be lucky to survive another couple of months even.’ She gestured. ‘But although that checks out…’

‘Nothing else does?’ Caitlin leaned forward.

‘It’s beginning to look that way.’ Marella crossed her arms over the white suit she wore. ‘I’ve been checking out the information Brannigan had gathered, the information he gave Hawke as proof of finding his brother and nothing adds up.’ She sighed. ‘I even think the photo’s a fake.’

‘What do you mean?’ Caitlin asked, concerned.

‘Brannigan claims that Saint John is being held prisoner in a prison in Central America, Leguardia to be exact.’ Michael said.

‘Why would Saint John be there?’ Caitlin asked.

‘According to Brannigan Saint John’s team was sent in to rescue a group of scientists working there a month ago.’ Marella added.

‘So?’

‘The scientists are real but the order for extraction was given five days ago.’ Marella said.

‘Five?’ Caitlin’s voice rose.

‘And they weren’t being extracted to save them.’ Marella said unhappily. ‘There was evidence that they were running some kind of drug dealing outfit.’

‘A Navy SEAL team was sent under the command of Lt. Commander Matthew Atkins.’ Michael gestured at the computer and Marella brought his details up.

Caitlin stared open-mouthed at the picture and her shocked eyes met Michael’s. He nodded at the question in hers. ‘We’re verifying it but we believe he’s Brannigan’s son.’

‘We have to contact Hawke.’ Caitlin said. ‘He needs to know.’

Michael picked up the videophone and pressed the buttons to connect them to Airwolf. He frowned and tried again. He raised worried eyes to the two women watching him. ‘I can’t raise them.’

Caitlin grabbed her coat and headed for the door. Michael stood up. ‘Where are you going?’

‘Where do you think?’ She yelled over her shoulder without breaking stride.

Marella raised a questioning eye at Michael. ‘You know if she gets hurt going into Leguardia on her own…’

‘Hawke is going to kill me.’ Michael muttered. He sighed resignedly. ‘Catch up with her. Tell her to take Zebra squad.’ Marella nodded and hurried after the redheaded pilot.

—

‘I have something, String.’ Dom said. ‘Five miles east.’

Hawke adjusted their course and ordered forward scans.

‘It looks like the right place.’ Dom said. ‘Plenty of heavy artillery. Three main structures. I have two people in an enclosed space in the one on the far west side and one outside probably a guard.’

‘Two people?’ Hawke asked.

‘It’s possible your brother isn’t the only prisoner.’ His uncle pointed out.

Hawke kept Airwolf at a hover whilst he considered their options. ‘Drop me off about a mile from the prison. At my signal, you two bring in Airwolf and provide a distraction.’

‘You’re going to need help on the ground.’ Alex argued.

‘For once Hawke, I agree with him.’ Dom said. ‘Both Saint John and the other prisoner could be injured.’

Hawke’s jaw tensed. ‘Fine.’ He nodded at his uncle. ‘You come with me but you follow my orders. Understood?’

Alex nodded quickly.

He circled back and landed. Hawke and his uncle changed into camouflage gear. He took a water flask and Dom handed him an automatic gun. Hawke confirmed the coordinates for the rendezvous once they’d exited the prison.

‘Will you take care of yourself?’ nagged Dom, giving Hawke a quick hug.

‘I’ll be OK.’

‘You’d better be.’

He smiled at the spark in the older man’s voice and patted his shoulder. Dom watched him and Alex disappear into the undergrowth and frowned. Alan Hawke had never trusted his brother-in-law and Dom believed in his late friend’s judgement; he didn’t trust Brannigan an inch either. He climbed back into Airwolf.

Hawke made his way through the dense overgrown undergrowth, his eyes scanning constantly. He was aware of his breathing, of the sound of his footfall on the floor, of the way the fabric of his clothing rustled. He was aware of the silent presence behind him. He had to admit, Alex was skilled at moving with deadly stealth. They crawled the last few yards on their bellies staying low, on the alert for guards.

They were almost at the prison structure when they both lowered themselves flat to avoid discovery by a patrol. As soon as they passed, they ran to the nearest wall of the structure. Hawke slid down to crouch as he peered round the side. It was clear. He ran round and peeked through the window. A bored guard sat with his back to the door. There were two men in the only cell, sitting dejected on the floor. His eyes narrowed as he tried to make out their features. It was no use; he couldn’t tell if one of them was Saint John. He gave Alex the signal to join him and with hand signals confirmed they were going in on a count of three. He counted down using the fingers of one hand and as his hand clenched into a fist, they slipped through the door.

Hawke left Alex to deal with the guard and absently registered the sound of a neck snapping. His attention was on the two unmoving men in the cell. He took the keys from the hook on the wall and opened the cell door.

‘Saint John?’ He called out softly.

One of the men stirred and opened his eyes. Hawke found himself looking at the same eyes that reflected back at him in the mirror each morning. They weren’t his brother’s though. Hawke felt a wave of fury as he realised neither man was Saint John. He pushed it away. Whoever they were, both men still needed rescuing.

‘We’re here to get you out.’ He said to the young man whose gaze was fixed on Alex with undisguised loathing.

The man’s eyes shot back to Hawke’s and he nodded. He reached over to shake the other man awake. They were soon up and ready, moving quickly. One took the knife hidden in the guard’s boot; the other took the gun he’d held. They followed Hawke’s hand signals and they all slipped out of the building and back into the undergrowth. Hawke brought them to a halt at the back of the second building breathing heavily.

‘Sir,’ the man with the eyes so like his own spoke first, ‘the scientists were being held in the second building. If there’s any chance they’re still alive…’

‘Right.’ Hawke sighed. ‘What exactly happened?’

The younger man’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. ‘You don’t know?’

Hawke glanced at Alex who avoided his eyes. ‘No.’ He said shortly. ‘I don’t know.’

‘I’m Lt. Commander Matt Atkins.’ He pointed at his colleague. ‘Major Holland. We came in five days ago as ordered to extract the scientists only the camp was empty except for the body of Dr Henn, the lead scientist, which looked like it had been mauled by a big cat. Figured there had been a cat attack and the other scientists ran off scared. We followed their trail but ended up getting ambushed. Two of my men went down in a sniper attack.’

Hawke nodded at the building in front of him. ‘You think the scientist’s are in there?’

‘I saw the woman scientist Elizabeth Darcy being taken in there yesterday when we were being moved.’ Atkins confirmed.

‘I can provide a distraction but I could do with your assistance on the ground.’ Hawke said.

‘We have your six, sir.’ Atkins confirmed.

‘We should leave now.’ Alex spoke up for the first time.

Hawke looked at him in disgust. ‘You don’t get a vote.’ He activated the radio. ‘Hawke to Airwolf.’

‘I hear you, String.’

‘I need a distraction in one minute.’

‘Do you have…’

‘Saint John isn’t here, Dom.’

There was a moment of silence. ‘I’ll be there, Airwolf out.’

‘OK. Atkins, you’re with me.’ Hawke whispered. ‘Holland? You provide ground cover.’

‘What about me?’ Alex asked.

‘Back up Holland.’ Hawke said.

He and Atkins moved into position. Hawke counted down the minute on his watch. The last five seconds on his hand. When he made a fist, he heard Airwolf’s distinctive whine and an explosion on the other side of the camp as a missile hit a stockpile of weapons; they moved, busting through the door. Hawke careened straight into an armed guard and they both hit the ground hard. Hawke felt his breath leave his body and knew he’d feel the bruises later. He barely registered Atkins take out the other two guards as he thumped the head of the guy who struggled with him on the ground. The guard fell unconscious. Atkins grabbed the keys off the belt of one of the dead men and threw them to Hawke. He went to the locked door at the other side of the room and opened it.

The woman pacing the room stopped and stared at him with wide brown eyes. She seemed unharmed. Her clothes, a pair of khaki shorts with a cotton vest and white cotton shirt, looked torn and dirty, her brunette hair seemed to be in slight disarray and there were smudges of dirt across the creamy complexion. Elizabeth Darcy, Hawke thought. Hawke put his finger to his lips and held out his hand. She took it and he pulled her behind him as they got to the door where Atkins waited in a crouching position, looking out into the courtyard. Airwolf screamed overhead. Another explosion.

‘Let’s go.’ Hawke said.

Atkins nodded, his eyes pinned to the helicopter.

The three of them ran full pelt for the undergrowth. A few seconds later, Holland joined them. As soon as they were under cover, Hawke used his radio; three silent clicks to confirm they were clear. He heard the howl as Airwolf circled and the roar as she fired the turbos and sped away from the destruction.

‘Dr Darcy where are the rest of your team?’ Hawke whispered.

‘I don’t know.’ She said. ‘They were taken away in a truck when we got to that…place. I don’t know why they kept me.’ She blushed with the last sentence and Hawke got the impression that she understood full well.

‘OK. We’re going to rendezvous with our transport and work out our next move.’ Hawke informed the small group.

‘I need to go back to my camp.’ Darcy said.

‘Transport first.’ Hawke insisted.

Darcy looked at his resolute eyes. She straightened her shoulders and turned to move off in a different route. He read her intention and grabbed her arm firmly.

‘Let go of me.’ Her brown eyes blazed at him.

‘Lady, are you trying to get us all killed?’ Hawke whispered furiously. ‘Keep your voice down and start walking in that direction.’ He pointed at the trail ahead.

‘You don’t understand…’ Darcy began although she lowered her voice.

‘No and I don’t care.’ Hawke stated bluntly. ‘Now either you start walking or I’ll knock you unconscious and carry you.’

Darcy scowled but she started walking. Hawke signalled to Atkins for him to keep his eye on her.

Hawke kept a brutal pace. His instincts were screaming at him to get out of the jungle. They’d been walking for quite a while before he heard the sniper. He brought the group to a halt and lowered them to a crouch. He scanned the trees ahead. It was the briefest rustles that gave the man away.

Atkins came up beside him. ‘Sir?’ His voice was barely audible.

‘Sniper.’ Hawke whispered. He looked at the rifle the other man was carrying. ‘Can you take him?’

Atkins nodded. Hawke laid a hand on his arm as he started to aim. ‘Wait. In the other ambush, how many snipers?’

Atkins displayed three fingers as his response.

‘And then you were surrounded?’

‘Sir, there were also two men either side of the trail. I suggest Holland and I go hand to hand. You take out the snipers and guard Darcy.’ Atkins said.

‘What’s going on?’ Alex hissed.

Hawke motioned for him to keep quiet whilst he considered their options and scanned the trees looking for more snipers. He found one and then another. He pointed them out to Atkins. It looked like Atkins was right and his plan was a good one. He nodded at him and took the rifle before Atkins crawled back to Holland. There was a flash of white teeth from the other man and then both men faded into shadow.

‘Where are they going?’ Darcy asked.

‘Stay back and keep under cover.’ Hawke whispered. He checked the clip and then sighted the rifle. He heard a dull thud to his left, another to his right. He saw one of the snipers start to turn. He aimed for a chest shot. Another thud, and another. The sniper was turning to the right, bringing a gun up. Hawke shot him.

The crack of the rifle was loud and Hawke immediately swung to aim and shoot at the second sniper. His body fell from the tree. A bullet from the third sniper hit the ground. Hawke saw the flash of Darcy’s white shirt and knew she was too good a target. He tackled her, grabbing and rolling with her as another bullet hit the ground. He lost the rifle and lay over her, covering her white shirt with his camouflage. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Alex grab the rifle, aim it and shoot the third sniper. He looked down at Darcy suddenly aware that he was lying on top of her, pressed intimately close. Their eyes caught.

He saw hers widen in alarm at something behind him and he rolled, taking her with him. The knife hit air. Hawke released Darcy and blocked the blow of the guerrilla soldier attacking him. He danced back avoiding the swing of the knife. He blocked another blow and felt the sting of the knife catching his arm. He ducked and swung out catching his opponent with a punch. The guy went down unconscious. Hawke wasn’t taking a chance on him staying down and broke the guy’s neck.

‘Was that necessary?’

Hawke didn’t respond to Darcy but glanced over at Alex who hadn’t offered any help during the fight.

‘I figured you had it under control.’ Alex said coolly. He threw Hawke the rifle.

Atkins appeared by Hawke’s shoulder. He looked down at the guard. ‘Holland?’

‘Check it out.’ Hawke said.

Atkins nodded and returned a moment later. ‘Holland’s dead. He got surprised by a third man.’ He indicated the body at their feet.

Darcy covered her mouth and turned away.

‘We can’t continue on this trail.’ Hawke said. ‘They would have heard the rifle shots.’ He took out his radio to call Airwolf and agree a new rendezvous. He frowned. It was bust; squashed during the fight. He threw on the ground in disgust and considered what to do. His eyes landed on Darcy.

‘Did you have a radio at your camp?’

Darcy nodded.

‘What are the coordinates?’ Hawke asked.

It was Atkins who supplied them. Hawke took out his compass, glanced at his watch.

‘So what are we doing?’ Darcy whispered.

‘It looks like you get your wish, Dr Darcy, we’ll head back toward your camp.’ Hawke answered.

He kept them walking for a long time before he brought them to a stop for a rest. He took out the water flask as Darcy slumped on the ground; Atkins lowered himself more easily but even he looked tired and Alex collapsed slowly.

Hawke handed the water to the scientist first. ‘Sip it and don’t take too much. It’s all we have.’

‘You’re all charm aren’t you?’ She said sarcastically.

Hawke ignored her and checked direction again. Darcy handed the flask to Atkins.

‘How much further sir?’ Atkins asked. He was resolutely ignoring Alex.

‘Another two hours.’ Hawke said. ‘And call me Hawke.’

‘Yes sir, I mean…’ Atkins gave a shrug and handed him the water. ‘What unit are you with?’

‘I’m not.’ Hawke took a sip of water and put the flask back in his jacket.

‘You could apologise you know.’ Darcy complained.

‘For what?’ Hawke said surprised.

‘For attacking me back there.’

‘I saved your life.’ Hawke shot back. ‘The sniper was targeting your shirt.’

‘Oh.’ Darcy’s lips twisted and she met his annoyed gaze with some chagrin. ‘Well, thank you.’

‘You’re welcome.’ Hawke felt his some of his annoyance dissipate. He looked across at Alex and frowned. The older man was pale and sweating. The pace had been hard for a young man in peak condition; for an older man in ill health…he took the couple of steps over to him and handed him the water bottle.

‘Thank you.’ Alex said.

‘You have no idea where Saint John is, do you?’ Hawke said keeping his voice low.

Alex shook his head.

‘What’s Atkins to you?’ Hawke asked. ‘Your son?’

Alex nodded. ‘I didn’t know until his mother died a few months ago. We were engaged to be married when we were younger.’ He sighed. ‘I left her at the altar.’

‘Why am I not surprised?’ Hawke muttered.

‘She wrote me a letter telling me the truth and apparently she wrote him a letter too telling him about his parentage; they were delivered after her death.’ He glanced over at the young man. ‘He doesn’t want to have anything to do with me though. He has a father; the man his mother married, says he doesn’t want another.’ His blue eyes met Hawke’s. ‘Some might say that’s poetic justice given I walked out on you and your brother.’

Hawke glanced across at his cousin. ‘Why didn’t you just tell me the truth?’

Alex smiled bitterly. ‘I had to make sure. You seriously telling me you would have given me the time of day if I hadn’t mentioned Saint John?’

‘Maybe if you’d been honest…’ Hawke sighed. Truthfully, he had no idea if it would have made a difference.

‘Well, I wasn’t taking the risk. I knew you’d come for Saint John. The two of you always stuck together.’

Hawke bit back the words he was tempted to say and pushed a hand through his hair. It was a hell of a mess. ‘We’d better get going.’

Darcy took a couple of steps to catch up to Hawke and walked along beside him. ‘So from Atkins’ question I take it you two guys aren’t together?’ Darcy asked as they set off.

‘No,’ Hawke answered, ‘and we need to remain silent,’ he reminded her.

‘I’m keeping my voice down and talking helps…helps make this less scary.’

Hawke glanced behind him and felt his protective instincts stir. She did look scared but trying to be brave. ‘OK.’ He relented. ‘But keep your voice down.’

‘If you’re not with the military, who are you? Did you come in to rescue them and I was a bonus? What?’

Hawke felt his irritation claw back along his spine at the questions but answered anyway. ‘Your team were scheduled to be extracted, Atkins came in with a team to do that only you’d disappeared and Henn was dead. He and his men followed your trail and got ambushed. I came…to rescue Atkins.’

‘Fred didn’t tell me there was to be an extraction.’ Darcy said crossly.

‘What happened?’

‘I was working in the lab when I heard a gunshot. I ran outside and saw Fred struggling with a man, a rebel I think. He yelled at us all to run so we did, only in the wrong direction as it turned out. We got ambushed and like I said the others were taken away.’

‘Had you seen the man struggling with Henn before?’

‘No.’ Darcy shook her head. ‘I can’t believe he’s dead.’

Hawke noted the lack of grief. ‘You two don’t sound close.’

Darcy shrugged. ‘We were together when we first came out but I broke it off last year. Fred took it badly so we ended up with neither of us liking the other. He didn’t deserve getting shot in the face though.’ She sighed. ‘It didn’t help that we had very different views on the situation here in Leguardia.’

‘How’s that?’ Hawke asked.

‘The rebels are fighting for democracy, freedom, good old fashioned American values.’ Darcy said. ‘It’s hard not to be sympathetic to their cause although Fred managed. I think his viewpoint was tied to the fact that it was the government who originally gave us permission to research here.’

They stopped talking to concentrate on walking. Hawke slowed them to a halt as they approached the camp. The first rays of morning light were starting to break through the tree tops. He scanned the camp. There were a number of small huts. He turned to the small group. ‘Atkins and I are going to check the camp. Stay here.’

He nodded at his cousin and they drew their weapons as they moved forward out of the undergrowth. They checked around the perimeter. Hawke noted the footprints on the ground which fanned out around the camp. One set went into the nearest hut. They followed them.

He looked around at the trestle tables, the plants, test tubes and Bunsen burners. ‘This looks like their lab.’

‘Yeah.’ Atkins picked up a discarded Petri dish and put it down again.

Hawke wandered over to an incubator and read the notes on the clipboard. He frowned and motioned for them to move on. The next hut looked like it was Dr Darcy’s. Her belongings were still strewn around. A backpack, partially filled with what looked like laundry lay in one corner. The next couple of huts brought similar discoveries; abandoned belongings and the impression that the scientists had left quickly without time to pack. Atkins stopped him as they approached the last hut.

‘Henn’s in there.’

Hawke sniffed the air; a rotting body would account for the stench. ‘I’m going to check it out.’ He crawled in. He ignored the flies and tried to focus on the evidence of what had happened. From what he could see Henn had been shot, the bullet blasting half the man’s face into mush. Shotgun blast almost point blank range to the face, he thought. He speculated whether the mauling had happened before or after the shooting but decided the body was too badly destroyed to determine anything else. He frowned. Henn looked half-packed. Hawke was beginning to gag, the smell of the rancid flesh catching in his throat and nostrils; he withdrew from the tent.

‘You alright?’ Atkins asked noticing how pale he’d gone.

‘Darcy was right; Henn was shot but I can’t tell if it was before or after he was mauled.’ Hawke said taking a deep breath and shaking off the nausea. He accepted the water bottle Atkins handed him gratefully.

Atkins nodded. ‘It looks like we’re clear.’

Hawke agreed. ‘I’ll get the others.’

‘Hawke…’ Atkins sighed. ‘What’s Alex to you?’

‘A pain in the backside.’ Hawke said shortly. ‘And my uncle. My mother was his sister.’

‘Did he tell you…?’

‘About you?’ Hawke shook his head. ‘I didn’t know until I saw you.’ He quirked an eyebrow at the younger man. ‘We kinda look a little alike.’

‘Yeah. I noticed.’ Atkins glanced at the floor and back up at him. ‘I don’t want to have anything to do with him.’

‘I appreciate that.’ Hawke said. ‘He told me what happened with your mother. It couldn’t have been easy finding out like that.’

‘No,’ agreed Atkins, ‘not easy. My father, my real father, the man who raised me, is a good man.’ He held Hawke’s gaze. ‘I have a family. I don’t want or need another.’

Hawke understood the other man’s meaning – that Atkins wasn’t interested in getting to know him either – and was surprised to find he was disappointed. ‘That’s your choice.’ He gestured back at the undergrowth. ‘We’d better go and get the others.’

They gathered in the lab. Hawke set Atkins the task of building a fire and finding them food. He headed straight for the radio. He set the frequency and turned it on.

‘Airwolf, come in.’ He frowned and, after a few more unsuccessful attempts, changed to the short wave emergency codes. ‘Airwolf, come in.’

There was a crackle. ‘String, is that you?’ Dom’s relief was evident even across the radio waves.

Hawke almost smiled. ‘Yeah.’

‘I was beginning to get worried.’

‘We got caught up by a couple of snipers. We need a pick up.’

‘What’s your location?’

Hawke gave him the coordinates.

‘I’ll be there shortly, kid.’

‘We’ll be here.’

Hawke put the radio down and rolled his shoulders letting the sound of Atkins setting up camp and Darcy packing up the lab wash over him. He was tired. All he wanted to do was get home. His blue eyes narrowed. Something didn’t feel right. He picked up his gun and wandered out the hut.

Alex was stood by the door with a lit cigarette. He caught Hawke’s tensed posture. ‘What’s the matter?’

Hawke shushed him and scanned the bushes in front of them. Alex flicked the cigarette away and moved up beside him. Atkins saw the two of them and straightened from the fire he’d started, reached for his gun.

‘What are you all doing?’ Darcy asked loudly sending all three male heads swinging in her direction. Their momentary distraction was all that was needed. Within seconds they were surrounded by government troops.

‘I would put the guns down.’ The accented English had Hawke turning sharply to face the undergrowth. A commander strode out. He was in his forties, well built. His dark hair and moustache were trimmed short. He was wearing army fatigues, the name Calmaro was neatly sewn above his pocket. He had a gun holstered in a belt along with a knife. Hawke carefully placed his gun on the floor, Alex and Atkins followed his example. Darcy was harried into a line with them and they were all were pushed to their knees with their hands forced behind their heads.

‘Well, well.’ Calmaro smiled humourlessly, approaching them. ‘American troops in my country.’

‘We are on a rescue expedition.’ Hawke began to explain, hoping Calmaro was a reasonable man. A short lived hope as his head snapped back from Calmaro’s punch. Hawke spat out the blood in his mouth.

‘I don’t believe I gave you permission to speak.’ Calmaro scowled. ‘Rescue expedition? I have seen what your rescue expedition did to the rebel prison. I have seen the bodies of my countrymen lying dead.’ He smiled suddenly. ‘Of course, I am not too unhappy as they were rebel scum but still…I cannot allow Americanos to simply get away with murder.’ He lit up a cigarette. ‘And there is the matter of the drug supply.’

Hawke and Atkins shot each other a questioning look.

‘Ah she did not tell you?’ Calmaro indicated Darcy who looked at the ground. ‘The American scientists have been supplying drugs to the rebels that they sell to raise money to buy arms.’

Hawke’s furious gaze landed on Alex who avoided his eyes.

‘That wasn’t me!’ Darcy denied hotly.

Calmaro slapped her with the back of his hand. Hawke surged to his feet and found a knife at his throat and the sharp click of guns aiming in his direction. He got back on his knees, his eyes staring into Calmaro’s.

Calmaro withdrew the knife smiling at the ice in the blue eyes. ‘Ah Americanos so full of machismo.’ He waved at Darcy. ‘I would not waste your life on this whore if I were you.’ He took a drag of the cigarette. ‘So what to do with you? I could hold a trial and an execution or I could just kill you.’ He smiled baring his yellowed teeth.

Hawke decided silence was the best policy.

‘But first you will help me. You have a helicopter; it was seen destroying the rebels. With such a machine, Leguardia would be mine within days. We heard your radio call and we know it is on its way here. You will not let you’re your friend know that we are here; you will not interfere at all.’

‘And then what?’ Hawke quirked an eyebrow. ‘You let us go?’

Calmaro smiled. ‘I could decide not to execute you.’ His eyes were cold, dead. ‘And if you do not do what I ask…’ He withdrew the knife. ‘I will cut her.’

Hawke stared back at the commander defiantly.

Calmaro stepped forward and grabbed Darcy’s hair, he yanked her head back, exposing her throat and laid the knife edge against the creamy skin.

‘Hawke, please…’ Darcy whimpered, her brown eyes begging his.

Hawke raised his head to look into Calmaro’s triumphant black eyes. ‘Fine.’

‘A wise decision.’ Calmaro threw Darcy at Hawke.

He caught her, his arms going around her back as her hands went around his shoulders. She was visibly trembling. He held her, patting her back, trying to comfort her.

‘Get up.’ Calmaro drew his gun and motioned for them to rise.

Hawke helped Darcy to her feet as Alex staggered to his and Atkins was pushed by a soldier. All of them were shown into the lab hut under heavy guard. Calmaro snapped instructions to one of his men who ran out. He turned back to Hawke.

‘You will stay here. You will not indicate by any means that this is a trap or if you do, I will slash the lady’s throat and blow the aircraft out of the sky with my rocket launchers.’ Calmaro smiled and strode out, leaving four guards behind to watch them.

Hawke reviewed their situation grimly. They were four against four in the lab but looking at Alex and Darcy, in reality, only he and Atkins were capable of a fight. He cocked his head. Airwolf was close. He felt his frustration tighten his muscles, clutch at his gut. Dom was going to fly into a trap and there was nothing he could do to prevent it.

Alex sidled up to him. ‘We need a plan.’

‘No kidding.’ Hawke snapped.

He heard Airwolf circling looking for a landing spot. Come on Dom, he thought. If Dom ran a scan, saw the trap…he closed his eyes as he heard the helicopter land. Damn! It only took a few moments before a rueful Dom was being ushered into the lab by another guard who left him and disappeared out of the hut.

‘Sorry, kid.’ Dom’s regretful eyes met Hawke’s as he came to stand by him.

Hawke shook his head. ‘None of this is your fault.’ His glance toward Alex gave away where he thought the blame lay.

Dom glanced at the older man and then at Atkins. He did a double-take at the obvious familial similarity and looked inquisitively at Hawke.

‘I’ll explain later.’ Hawke said.

‘So, what now?’ Dom asked.

‘We have to get out of this before they kill us.’

‘Sounds like a plan.’ Dom agreed.

Hawke cocked his head. Incoming helicopters. He hid his surprise as he realised they were American. He caught Atkins’ eye and signalled at him. Atkins barely nodded his head in agreement. Darcy frowned catching the move.

‘What are we doing?’ She whispered.

‘You’re doing nothing.’ Hawke murmured. ‘Just stay out of the way.’

She opened her mouth to argue and a guard raised his gun. ‘Silencio Americanos.’

Hawke ignored him and turned to Atkins. ‘You know Atkins, this is all your fault.’

‘My fault?’

‘Yeah, your fault.’

The two men started to square up to each other. Three of the guards watched in amusement, the fourth frowned and ordered them to be silent. Hawke and Atkins ignored him and continued to argue, they were in each other’s faces, up close and personal when the guard came over to separate them. They moved with lightening speed. Hawke broke the guard’s neck as Atkins grabbed his gun and shot out a second guard. Both men hit the ground and rolled as the other two guards started to react, trying to bring their weapons up. Dom punched one, knocking him out. He saw Alex knock the other to the ground before he could target Atkins. Hawke grabbed a gun and ran to the door. Atkins did the same, taking the other side. Dom ran up to Hawke’s side.

Hawke saw Calmaro running toward them and was about to aim when suddenly there was a huge explosion at the other side of the hut. Calmaro was thrown to the ground and Hawke instinctively ducked. When he peeked through the door again, his eyes widened; Zebra squad was beginning to drop from the helicopters to the ground. His relief quickly turned to concern; a man was lining up for a shot at Airwolf with a rocket launcher and Calmaro was back on his feet heading toward them.

‘Atkins, protect our transport. Make sure that rocket launcher doesn’t get a shot off.’ Hawke glanced at Dom. ‘Get Airwolf.’

Dom nodded and readied himself to move off after Atkins.

Hawke tackled Calmaro as he entered the lab hut at a run, they hit the ground wrestling. He was vaguely aware that Dom and Atkins had run out, Alex going after them. He felt a blow to his ribs and managed to smack Calmaro, snapping his head back. He threw Calmaro over and the other man kicked him off. When they got to their feet, Calmaro had his knife in his hand. Hawke ducked and spun, grabbing Calmaro’s arm, bringing it down as his knee came up. The knife was jarred from his grasp but Calmaro changed his balance, the two men fell to the floor again. Calmaro snatched at the knife and Hawke struggled with him as their hands moved between their chests. Hawke’s eyes met Calmaro’s and with a grunt, Hawke forced the knife into Calmaro’s heart. He pushed the commander off him and got to his feet a little dazed.

He started as he was grabbed and only just in time recognised Darcy. She threw her arms around him, took his face in her hands and kissed him full on the mouth. Hawke stood frozen, stunned.

‘Well I can see I’m not needed here.’

The Texan accent jolted him into action and he pushed Darcy away, turning to see Caitlin framed in the doorway, her gun in her hand.

‘Cait,’ his eyes widened with the shock of seeing her and then at the way she was moving, aiming the gun…he raised his hands in supplication…she fired. Hawke whirled as the guard who’d been creeping up behind him hit the floor. He turned back to her, she avoided his eyes.

‘The camp’s secure. We should go.’ She said and walked out before he could say anything.

Hawke shoved a hand through his hair.

‘Sorry.’ Darcy smiled at him. ‘I didn’t realise…I was just so relieved.’ She looked up at him, her brown eyes apologetic.

‘It’s not your fault.’ Hawke muttered and indicated the door. ‘Grab the research and let’s go.’ He left her in the hut and went in search of Caitlin. There were a few dead bodies scattered over the clearing but the majority of the troops must have run; Zebra squad were clearing up. His eyes arrowed in on a small group of men including Atkins gathered around a fallen body. It was Alex. He made his way over as one of the men got to his feet and shook his head.

Hawke laid a hand on Atkins’ shoulder.

‘He jumped in front of me.’ Atkins voice was choked. ‘Took the bullet.’

‘I’m sorry.’

Atkins pulled away from him and marched across the clearing. Hawke let him go; if it were him he’d want the space. He looked down at the body of his uncle. So Alex had loved someone after all…he sighed.

‘Captain Hawke?’ The commander of Zebra Squad was stood at his elbow.

‘Kinsey.’ Hawke acknowledged him. ‘Thanks for the save.’

‘Our pleasure.’ Kinsey said shaking his hand. ‘With your permission, we’ll take the body if you take Lt Commander Atkins and Ms O’Shaunessy.’

‘Agreed.’ Hawke said. ‘Get your men the hell out of here.’

‘Yessir.’ Kinsey gave a smart salute and spun to organise their departure.

Hawke scanned the camp. He saw that Dom had gone over to Atkins, comforting the young man. He found Caitlin by a secured Airwolf, hands on her hips, staring out at the undergrowth around the camp. He strode over to her. She didn’t even turn to look at him.

‘Cait…’ His voice trailed away; he was unsure what to say and his breath seemed to be caught up in his chest.

‘We need to leave.’ She said. ‘We won’t be left alone here for long.’

‘I agree.’ Hawke said shortly. ‘Zebra squad is pulling out now.’ As if to underscore his words the helicopters rose from the ground and took off. ‘Cait, we need to talk about what you saw back there…’

‘No we don’t. We need to talk about something else.’ Caitlin said, finally meeting his eyes. She handed him an electronic device. ‘I found this in the cockpit. Your uncle jammed the long range communications. We couldn’t reach you to let you know that it wasn’t Saint John. I’m sorry.’

Hawke’s hand closed in a fist around the device. ‘I guess it doesn’t matter now.’

‘Hawke, Michael got hold of Henn’s last report. He had quite a story. I don’t suppose we’ve located him?’

‘He’s in his hut.’ Hawke said.

‘I’ll go…’

‘He’s dead. Look, Cait…’

‘How did he die?’ Caitlin asked insistently.

Hawke sighed, frustrated that they were talking about Henn.

‘Fine. I’ll go and see for myself.’

Hawke blocked her move. ‘You don’t need to see it, Cait.’

‘Hawke…’

‘He was shot in the face and mauled by a wild animal.’ Hawke explained.

‘OK.’ Caitlin winced. ‘I don’t need to see it. Look, Hawke, in his last report he made reference to…’

Hawke held up a hand, hearing something in the undergrowth. What now? He thought frustrated. He readied his gun and Caitlin drew hers. Dom and Atkins stopped in the middle of walking over to them and peered into the bushes trying to see what had disturbed the couple.

‘Start the Lady.’ Hawke ordered Caitlin. She nodded but before she could climb back in, a bullet zinged across the camp and hit Airwolf’s nose. All four of them threw themselves on the ground; Hawke covering Caitlin with his own body.

‘Nobody moves and nobody dies.’ A silky voice said as out of the undergrowth another set of troops appeared. These were wearing the rebel colours.

‘Great,’ muttered Hawke.

It was only a few moments later that the four of them were on their knees with their hands behind their heads. Hawke was getting tired of the position. Darcy was pushed out of the lab and set down beside them. A group of a dozen rebels surrounded them.

The rebel leader smirked at them. ‘Well what have we here? I see that one of you has done me the great service of killing Commander Calmaro but alas, I will still have to kill you all and take your machine.’ His eyes alighted on Caitlin. ‘Well maybe not all of you.’

Hawke tensed and only his training kept him in place.

Caitlin’s eyes flickered over the rebel leader, over the torn fatigues and dirty vest. She met his dead black eyes. ‘Thanks but I think I’ll decline.’ She drawled.

The three American men looked at her with astonishment.

‘Besides,’ she added as the rebel leader started forward, ‘I wouldn’t want to come between a man and his drug supplier.’ She indicated Darcy with a jerk of her head.

Darcy remained silent and stared at the ground.

Caitlin looked at her with disgust. ‘What? No protestation of innocence?’

Darcy looked up at her. ‘You have no idea.’

‘You mean about how the flower y’all were studying turned how to have hallucinogenic properties, how it turned out to be another form of opium.’

‘How did…?’ Darcy stared at her.

‘Oh your friend Fred left quite a final report including how you got involved with,’ Caitlin turned to the rebel leader who was watching the exchange with a bemused expression, ‘it is Miguel, isn’t it?’ She turned back to Darcy before he could answer. ‘Miguel here and broke poor old Fred’s heart. Of course you did more than that didn’t you? When you realised you were going to be extracted you killed the poor hapless guy and I’m guessing you sold out the rest of your team.’ Her eyes returned to Miguel. ‘I can see why’d you want to move on. She’s not exactly faithful, is she?’ She gestured at Airwolf. ‘Here she was going to leave you high and dry.’

Miguel took hold of Caitlin’s chin in a tight grip. ‘I like your spirit but give me a reason why I shouldn’t shoot you right now.’

Caitlin gestured weakly with her hand. ‘A dead body isn’t so much fun to rape?’

There was a tense moment and then Miguel started laughing. ‘I do like you.’ He moved onto Darcy, taking her chin in a similar way. ‘You though…’

‘I wasn’t leaving Miguel I swear.’

‘Your word is worthless.’ Miguel said angrily.

Darcy sighed. ‘But my drugs aren’t are they? You need me Miguel.’

‘You really don’t need her Miguel.’ Caitlin said with her eyes on his. ‘You think she’s going to treat you any different to old Fred? Look what happened to him?’

‘Look I know I kissed Hawke…’ Darcy began.

‘See.’ Caitlin didn’t look at Darcy. ‘Faithless. Kissed my guy. Right in front of me too.’

Dom cast a scolding glance at Hawke who was watching Caitlin uncertainly.

‘Do you want to get us both killed?’ Darcy hissed at her.

Caitlin turned a level gaze on her, blue eyes sparked with temper. ‘I was aiming just for you.’

Darcy’s mouth fell open. ‘You…you’re mad…’

‘What’s the matter, Darcy?’ Caitlin taunted her. ‘I’m afraid the poor helpless female act doesn’t work on me. I happen to be female myself.’

Darcy dropped the act revealing the calculating woman below. ‘I wouldn’t have been able to tell.’ She deliberately dropped her eyes to Caitlin’s bust. ‘What are you? A 30A?’

‘At least mine are real.’ Caitlin shot back.

‘Why you…’ Darcy sputtered.

‘Oops did I let a cat out the bag?’ Caitlin tilted her head, her face an expression of innocence. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Darcy flew at her. Caitlin was ready for her and fell back using the other woman’s momentum to throw Darcy over her head. Darcy hit the dirt a yard behind her. Caitlin whirled to face her, getting to her feet. Darcy was up fast and charged at her. Caitlin took her down with a kick that cracked the other woman’s sternum and stopped the heart dead. She whirled in the same smooth motion and swept the legs out from under two guards.

Hawke and Atkins were up immediately and fighting. Dom staggered to his feet and went for Airwolf. Caitlin took the rifle of one of the rebels she’d downed, hitting him in the face with it to keep him out cold. She blocked the blow of the second guy and walloped him in the throat with the rifle butt. He grabbed his throat as he fell to his knees, gasping for breath; Caitlin had crushed his windpipe. She was grabbed from behind. It was Miguel.

Hawke had also taken out two guards and he had managed to acquire a gun. He’d ended up on the ground and he aimed from there, shooting a rebel lining up for a shot at Atkins who was fighting two men simultaneously hand to hand, having already dealt with three rebels who lay motionless at his feet. He could hear Airwolf’s engines firing, the rotors whirring. The breath went out of him suddenly with a kick to his stomach and he rolled glimpsing the large rebel who was attacking him, before the man stamped down on his arm. Hawke heard the crack, felt the pain, felt the blackness start to descend and ruthlessly pushed it aside. He threw his body at the legs, bringing the man to the ground and before the guy could regain his balance, Hawke trapped his head between his legs and broke his neck. He rolled away cradling his arm, scrabbling for the gun he’d dropped.

Caitlin dodged another punch from Miguel and dived for the pistol she’d knocked out of his hands. He caught her charge and shoved her. She hit the ground winded but flipped to come back up and found she was looking straight into the barrel of the pistol. Miguel smiled at her and tightened his grip on the gun. Caitlin breathed heavily, tasting the blood in her mouth from an earlier slap.

‘You put up a good fight.’ Miguel taunted her.

‘It isn’t over yet.’ Caitlin said whilst her blue eyes sought help. She saw Hawke struggling to his feet cradling his arm, trying to pick up the gun, she saw Atkins still fighting with another man, she saw Dom helpless at Airwolf’s controls – chain gunfire would take them all out not just the rebels; no-one was going to be able to help her. There was a movement in the undergrowth to the side of her and Caitlin’s eyes widened.

‘You have a lot of spirit.’ Miguel bared his teeth at her. ‘I’m going to enjoy your dead body.’

Caitlin dropped to the floor as the cat pounced. It sailed over her falling body, its jaws closing on Miguel’s throat instead. He pulled the trigger in an automatic reaction and the bullet hit the ground by Caitlin’s head. She moved to her feet slowly, skirted the cat which was shaking a screaming Miguel into lifelessness and ran to Airwolf, gesturing for the guys to do the same. Dom moved to the engineer’s console, his mouth snapping shut from the shock of witnessing the cat’s attack. Hawke shoved a bloody and beaten Atkins into the back of the cockpit with his good arm and climbed in the second pilot seat, leaving the commander seat for Caitlin; it was closer to her. She climbed in and glanced back as she put on her helmet. The cat was standing over Miguel’s body, its mouth a bloody snarl.

‘Let’s get out of here.’ Hawke said.

Caitlin nodded taking Airwolf up. She fired the missiles into the huts dispassionately; the last thing the world needed was another heroin. She turned the aircraft away from the burning camp in the direction of home. Hawke settled into his seat trying to ignore the waves of pain in his arm. Dom was issuing Atkins with a headset in the back. Caitlin was focused on the flight.

Dom frowned as the radar scan kicked in. ‘Caitlin, I’m picking up two government jets headed towards us on an intercept course.’ He checked their radar profile. ‘We should be off their radar.’

‘Give me turbos.’

‘Turbos.’

She ignited them; they shot forward. ‘Where are those planes now?’

‘Still closing. ETA, five minutes.’

Caitlin spotted a valley and dived into it, taking Airwolf lower, skimming the tree tops. She pressed her lips together at the effort of controlling the temperamental aircraft at mach speed even with the computer assist. A pain jolted through her shoulder; she ignored it, concentrating on the flight and the minor adjustments in balance, in power, in angle needed to keep them airborne. Her teeth worried at her bottom lip. Hawke and Dom had included aerial combat in her training just in case but she’d never had to put that training to use before; if those planes were looking for a fight…

‘I think they see us.’ Dom said. ‘Intercept in two minutes. One of them has fired a missile. Heat-seeking.’

‘Sunburst.’ Caitlin ordered, breaking away and climbing rapidly.

‘Sunburst.’ Dom confirmed. ‘Missile destroyed.’

She slipped the visor down. The target locked on the first plane and she shot it down with a grim satisfaction.

‘Second plane is lining up behind us.’ Dom warned. ‘Missile.’

She rolled Airwolf a little and the missile shot underneath them, hitting the valley below in an explosion of dirt and dust.

Hawke held his silence with difficulty as they felt the sting of gunfire ricocheting off the tail armour; he knew he would only distract her.

Caitlin released the turbos and the sudden deceleration in speed had the plane following them overshoot. She targeted the wing and fired the chain-guns as it passed. Its engine caught fire and the plane went down.

Caitlin dived and evened Airwolf out at low altitude, taking them back to mach speed as they raced for the Leguardia border. She adjusted their course; they still had a lot of territory to cover before they would be safe.

‘Wow.’ Atkins said admiringly. ‘Nice move.’

‘Sure was. In fact, that was some nice flying, Cait.’ Dom said smiling proudly at her as she glanced behind at him.

‘Real nice flying.’ Hawke commented.

‘I had good teachers.’ She said wryly.

Her eyes flickered across the cockpit to Hawke. She shifted in her seat a little and sighed. ‘How’s your arm?’

‘Broke.’ Hawke said. ‘That was some game plan back there at the camp.’ He winced at the pain in his arm but mostly at the memory of Caitlin standing in the doorway with hurt in her eyes at seeing another woman in his arms. ‘About that kiss…’

‘Hawke, I kinda need to concentrate here. We’ll talk about it when we get home.’ Caitlin said firmly. She didn’t want to have the discussion whilst she was wrestling with keeping Airwolf in the air and whilst they had an audience. Moreover, she thought, it wouldn’t do him any harm to stew on it a little.

‘Cait, I’ll contact Michael, agree a new drop off as String and Atkins here need medical attention.’ Dom interjected hurriedly.

‘Good idea, Dom.’ Caitlin sneaked another quick look at Hawke. He was clearly in agony, holding his arm against him. She almost relented over the kiss. She returned her eyes to the sky. It would wait until they were home.

—

Hawke opened his eyes blearily, blinked at the harsh sunlight. He groaned and hunkered under the blankets before a sharp pain in his arm brought him fully awake. He sat up gingerly. He recognised the bedroom as Caitlin’s but he couldn’t remember how he’d gotten there. He looked down in bemusement at his wrinkled clothes and cradled his plastered arm against his chest as he tried to think through the fog. Gradually the events of the previous day came back to him. He remembered being dropped off with Caitlin and Atkins at the hospital whilst Dom flew Airwolf to the Lair. He grimaced. And then nothing. He couldn’t remember anything after getting out of Airwolf. Caitlin must have brought him home, he reasoned. He glanced at the clock and winced. It was almost lunchtime.

Hawke pushed the covers back and walked to the en-suite bathroom for a shower. When he came back wrapped in a towel, he headed for the closet. His hand stilled on the clean shirt momentarily and he ran his eyes over it and where it was placed; hanging next to Caitlin’s blouse. Maybe, he thought, they were already kinda moved in with each other. He smiled. It felt right. His memory stirred and he frowned. Of course he might have blown it with the kiss Caitlin had witnessed. She had looked devastated. He tried to delay going out of the bedroom but he ran out of things to do very quickly so made his way to the kitchen where he could hear the sound of Caitlin preparing lunch. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, her long red hair scraped back into a pony-tail; she looked fifteen and he felt every one of his thirty-five years. He slid onto a stool at the breakfast bar and she turned from the stove hearing him.

‘Hey.’ She said reaching for the coffee pot.

‘Hey.’

Caitlin handed him a mug of coffee and looked at him with a critical eye. His brown hair was wet and rumpled; the lines on his face tight with tension. She shook out two pills from a tub on the counter and put them in front of him.

He shook his head. ‘Thanks but I want to keep my head clear.’

‘Yeah, whatever they gave you knocked you right out. You’ve been asleep almost a whole twenty-four hours.’ She smiled. ‘Don’t worry, this is only aspirin. It’ll take the edge off.’

Hawke picked up the pills and washed them down with his coffee.

Caitlin watched him and turned back to the stove so he wouldn’t see her amusement at his unusually subdued expression. ‘Dom and Michael are on their way over. I called them when I heard the shower.’

‘OK.’

Caitlin piled the eggs onto two plates and placed one in front of Hawke. ‘I wasn’t sure what you’d want so it’s just some eggs and toast.’

Hawke felt his stomach rumble. ‘This is great.’ He picked up a fork and tucked in. He waited until Caitlin slid onto a stool next to him and picked her own knife and fork up before speaking. ‘I…uh…seem to remember we were going to talk when we got home.’

‘You mean about your kiss with the evil Dr Darcy?’ Caitlin teased.

Hawke paused. ‘You’re not mad?’ He fiddled with his fork and then forced himself to meet her gaze.

‘I was.’ Caitlin admitted and took another bite of eggs. ‘You weren’t exactly fighting her off when I walked in on you…’

‘I was just about to…’ Hawke said defensively, his voice trailed away at the glint in her eyes.

‘But,’ she continued, ‘I also realised that as I trust you the kiss probably wasn’t your idea.’

‘It wasn’t.’ Hawke confirmed quickly.

‘Well, next time, just so there’s no confusion, introduce yourself with the words ‘I have a girlfriend.” She said pointing her fork at him.

‘There won’t be a next time.’ He promised her and reached over to take her hand in his good one. ‘I’m sorry.’

She dropped her gaze, pushing her remaining eggs around the plate. ‘I killed her.’

‘She would have killed you.’ Hawke pointed out.

‘Yeah.’ Caitlin pushed her plate away. ‘I’m just not sure that I killed her for that reason.’

‘Yeah, you did.’ Hawke squeezed her hand, got her to look at him. ‘I know you and I know you’re not capable of killing someone just because you caught them kissing your guy.’

‘My guy?’ asked Caitlin, a small smile pulling at her lips.

‘Your guy.’ Hawke confirmed.

Caitlin looked down again. ‘She was beautiful.’

The words were so quiet Hawke strained to hear them and the insecurity behind them. ‘She wasn’t you.’ He said with heartfelt sincerity.

‘You have to admit Hawke, I’m not…your usual type.’ Caitlin said still not looking at him.

He sighed. ‘Cait, I don’t want to be with anyone else.’ He tangled their fingers and took a deep breath. ‘I was going to wait until…but I guess…’

Her eyes flickered back up at him, startled at the nerves she could hear.

‘I was thinking we should…that is…’ He sighed as her eyes lit up again with amusement at his stumbling over his words. ‘Would you move in with me? I mean when the work on the cabin is done.’

Caitlin was stunned.

‘Cait?’ Hawke frowned. She wasn’t saying anything.

‘Are you asking me because you feel guilty about kissing Darcy because if you are…’

‘No.’ Hawke denied quickly. ‘I planned to ask you when the cabin was finished. You can ask Dom.’

Caitlin started smiling. ‘So you really want me to move in with you?’

He nodded and started to breathe again seeing her answer in her unguarded eyes.

‘I’m going to need more closet space.’ Caitlin warned him.

Hawke raised her fingers to his lips and kissed them. ‘Done.’ He tugged her off her stool and pulled her towards him…the doorbell rang. He sighed and reluctantly let go of Caitlin so she could answer the summons. He was finishing up the meal she’d prepared for him when she came back with Dom and Michael.

Dom slid into the stool beside him as Caitlin poured them all fresh coffee.

‘You two OK?’ Dom asked. He wasn’t sure what had happened with the whole Darcy kissing thing but it had worried him that it might damage the couple’s embryonic relationship.

‘We’re OK.’ Hawke said with his eyes on Caitlin’s. ‘Cait’s agreed to move in with me.’

Dom beamed at the couple. ‘That’s great news.’

‘Congratulations.’ Michael added, leaning on the counter, careful to keep his own mixed emotions about the announcement hidden. As their friend, he was pleased their relationship was progressing so happily, as the FIRM’s deputy director he couldn’t help but be concerned about what their relationship meant for the Airwolf missions…he sighed and gestured at Hawke’s cast and sling. ‘How’s the arm?’

‘Hurts like hell.’ Hawke admitted.

Dom patted his shoulder sympathetically. ‘It’ll mend.’

‘Yeah.’ Hawke shoved his plate away.

‘I’m sorry you didn’t find your brother, Hawke.’ Michael’s voice rang with sincerity. ‘I should have insisted on checking Brannigan’s information before I contacted you.’

Hawke shrugged. ‘It wasn’t your fault, Michael. Alex always did have his own agenda. I think deep down I knew it wasn’t about Saint John.’ He caught Michael’s eye. ‘Thanks for sending in Zebra squad.’

Michael sighed. ‘You should thank Caitlin.’

Caitlin shrugged at Hawke’s questioning glance.

‘Alex’s lawyer contacted the air service this morning.’ Dom said before Hawke could follow up on Michael’s cryptic statement.

‘Oh?’

‘Apparently, Alex put all the arrangements for when he died in place a month or so ago.’ Dom explained.

Hawke rubbed his chest. ‘I guess with the cancer that makes sense.’

Dom nodded. ‘He had the office down as your point of contact. I’ve got all the details of the funeral.’ He paused. ‘He’s going to be buried alongside your maternal grandparents.’

Hawke felt his throat close up. It was the same cemetery as his parents’ memorial stone. He took a deep breath. ‘When?’

‘Day after tomorrow.’ Dom said.

Hawke nodded.

‘You think Atkins will go?’ Michael asked.

‘I don’t know.’ Hawke frowned. ‘He wasn’t too keen on acknowledging Alex was his father.’ He stood up. ‘I guess we’ll find out at the funeral.’

The day of the funeral dawned bright and crisp. Hawke glanced around the small, cold church where his parents had been married, where he and his brother had been baptised and tried to shrug off the weight of nostalgia that tightened his shoulders and lay heavy on his gut. He glanced around at the small crowd; Alex hadn’t been popular that was for sure. There was a CIA representative decked out in a suit that screamed federal agent and Alex’s lawyer stood off to one side; both there for the sake of appearances rather than any real grief, Hawke thought. His steady blue eyes landed on his cousin. Lt Commander Atkins still bore the bruises from his experience in Leguardia but he was dressed smartly in his whites; a neat row of medals on his chest. He was flanked by an older man and another younger man. Hawke wondered briefly who they were; perhaps friends providing support in the same way he was flanked by Dom and Caitlin, Michael and Marella were also in attendance standing silently behind. The service passed mercifully quickly and they trooped out to the graveside.

Hawke clasped Caitlin’s hand tightly as he watched the coffin being lowered. Memories crowded in on him and he bowed his head. He’d lost so many people…Alex might not have been much of an uncle but apart from Saint John he’d been his only other link to his mother…Hawke felt the press of tears for the family he’d lost and then felt the presence of the family he’d found. Caitlin’s fingers rubbed against his, Dom’s hand squeezed his shoulder. He blinked back the tears and saw the priest conclude the rites. The small crowd started to break up and head back towards the cars. There was to be a gathering back at the lawyer’s office before the will was read.

Hawke’s gaze drifted unwillingly to the other side of the cemetery.

‘You coming?’ Caitlin asked softly.

He glanced at her, saw the worry in her eyes. ‘You go ahead. There’s something…I have to do. I’ll be there in a minute.’

She nodded and he kissed her cheek before walking away. She watched him go anxiously. Dom slipped his arm around her and gave her a reassuring smile. They headed for the car to wait for him.

Hawke came to a stop beside the memorial stone and stooped to brush the dirt from the marble which was obscuring the words; in loving memory of Alan and Jane Hawke. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and wished he’d brought a flower, his mother had loved roses. He’d somehow remembered to bring one the last time he’d come to the cemetery…

Hawke laid the white rose on the top of the marble stone and crouched down beside the stone. He’d come straight to the cemetery and was still dressed in his uniform, the rucksack containing his few possessions lay on the ground at his feet. He rarely visited the memorial. Somewhere in his heart, the twelve year old boy who believed his parents were only lost at sea still lived…

His breath caught in a sob. ‘I lost Saint John.’ He blurted out and the tears he’d held back ever since he’d left his brother in the jungle flooded his eyes, ran down his cheeks. ‘I lost him.’

He swiped at his eyes, helpless against the torrent of grief and guilt. ‘We went down together but he made me leave when the first wave of helicopters came; he told me to come back for him and I did, I swear but…the ropes filled up too fast. I couldn’t stay, the chopper was too heavy and, dammit, he told me to go.’ He closed his eyes on the last memory of his brother waving him away. ‘But I went back. I went back and he wasn’t there.’ He sank to the ground and sat there rocking back and forth. He was unaware of time passing, the night closing in. A sound behind him had him up on his feet, poised for a fight within a second.

Dom held up his hands. ‘Didn’t mean to surprise you, kid. Your commander called, told me you were back.’ He paused afraid his voice would give away his own grief. He nodded at the stone. ‘Thought I’d find you here.’

‘Dom, Saint John…’

‘I know, kid.’ Dom didn’t think, he simply took the couple of steps needed so he could gather the broken young man into a bear hug. ‘I know.’ He held on whilst Hawke came apart and wondered briefly how the hell he was going to put him together again, if he was going to be able to put him together again. Eventually Hawke pulled away and Dom let him go.

Hawke wiped the last of his tears away self-consciously. ‘I’m going to find him, Dom. I promise. I’m going to go back and I’m going to find him, bring him home. I can’t lose him too.’ His fingers brushed the marble stone. ‘I just…I don’t know how to do this without him.’ He admitted feeling the fear of being alone worry at his gut, clutch at his heart. ‘I’ve always had Saint John.’ He’d always had his brother…they’d always had each other.

Dom patted his shoulder. ‘I know it’s not the same thing, String, but you’ll always have me and I’ll help you get your brother back. Anyway I can.’

Hawke looked over at the older man as though startled.

‘Come on.’ Dom reached for the rucksack and picked it up. ‘Let’s go home, huh?’

Hawke nodded and pressed a kiss to his fingers and then to the cold marble…

Hawke blinked. His fingers were pressed hard against the stone. A cough behind him had him spinning around. The memory fresh in his head he wasn’t surprised to see Dom.

‘Hey.’ Dom fidgeted for a second. ‘You OK?’

‘Yeah.’ Hawke tapped the marble and let go. ‘I was just thinking the last time I came up here was after my first tour in ‘Nam. After…’ his breath caught in his throat, the memory too close. He pushed it away ruthlessly. ‘I should come up here more often. Pay my respects.’

‘Your folks would never have minded, String.’ Dom said firmly. ‘They would have wanted you to get on with your life.’

Hawke nodded.

Dom patted his shoulder. ‘Come on, kid.’ He gave a small laugh. ‘Before Cait sends Zebra squad to find us.’

Hawke let the older man guide him away from the stone and back down the path. They slowed as they came to the car and Hawke hid his surprise at finding Atkins waiting alongside Caitlin.

‘Atkins.’ He acknowledged the other man, held out his good arm for a brief handshake. ‘You’re looking better.’

‘So are you.’ Atkins crossed his arms a little defensively.

There was an awkward pause.

Atkins sighed. ‘Look, I was wondering…if you’d be willing, I’d like to stay in touch…I mean we are family.’

‘What changed your mind?’ Hawke asked surprised. ‘I mean back in Leguardia you seemed pretty fixed on the idea of ignoring any connection you had to Alex.’

‘My Dad.’ Atkins said pointing at the older man waiting for him. He sighed. ‘I was so angry when I found out about Alex, at the way he’d treated my mother. I just didn’t want to know anything about him. I never gave him a chance.’ He gave a pained smile.

‘Give yourself a break, Atkins.’ Hawke said. ‘You’d just a lost a mother, maybe you weren’t ready to find a father.’

‘Maybe.’ Atkins took a deep breath. ‘But as my father pointed out to me, I don’t want to make the same mistake with you. We’re cousins.’ He sighed. ‘I don’t know what that means exactly but I do know that I’d like to find out.’

Hawke nodded slowly. ‘Me too.’

Atkins smiled. ‘You know as we’re cousins, you should call me Matt.’

‘And as we’re cousins, you should never call me Stringfellow.’

Atkins smiled widely. ‘Got it.’ His eyes caught the impatient gesturing of the lawyer. ‘I guess we should move on.’

‘I guess so.’ Hawke murmured. ‘Or we could go for a beer.’

Atkins grinned. ‘Beer it is then.’

One beer turned into another and it was late when Caitlin drove up and parked in front of her apartment. She and Hawke both turned to the back of the car to look at a sleeping Dom, his chin propped up on his chest, his arms folded across his expansive belly, before looking at each other with amusement.

‘Dom.’ Hawke said loudly. His lips twitched as the other man didn’t respond. He tried yelling. ‘Dom!’

The older man’s snapped open. ‘Wha…?’

Hawke turned back to the front. ‘We’re here.’

‘Well, I knew that.’ Dom said.

‘Yeah. Right.’ Hawke pushed open his door and climbed out to the sound of Caitlin’s laughter. He helped Dom out and collected their bags. He slipped an arm around Caitlin as they all walked into the apartment. She headed for the kitchen and as Dom made his way to the easy chair, Hawke settled on the sofa, patting the cushions so Tet, his dog, climbed up beside him for some petting. He ruffled the mutt’s head. The day had gone surprisingly well, Hawke thought. His cousin was a good man and they were somewhere on the road to becoming friends.

‘You know he’s not supposed to be on the couch.’ Caitlin’s slightly exasperated voice had Hawke looking up abashed. Tet looked across at her with a similar expression. Dom chuckled and took the mug she handed to him.

Caitlin held out a second mug to Hawke who took it and then held a hand out to her. She slipped her hand into his and he pulled her down onto the sofa beside him, wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she cuddled into his side. This, he thought contentedly, was all he needed.

‘Ah, it’s good to be back at home.’ Dom commented. ‘You know I’m getting too old to run around jungles.’

‘I know the feeling.’ Hawke added easing his arm into a comfortable position.

‘How is the arm?’ Dom asked.

‘Aches.’ Hawke admitted. ‘Least it means Michael’s decided we’re out of commission for a while.’

‘It might give us some more time to work out what all that new equipment does that he installed in the Lair.’ Caitlin commented.

‘I still don’t know what we need all that stuff for.’ Hawke complained.

‘I have to admit Michael pretty much installed everything but the kitchen sink.’ Dom said with a laugh.

‘At least that would have been useful.’ Hawke commented smiling.

Caitlin yawned suddenly and slipped out of Hawke’s hold to stand up. ‘I’m beat, guys. I think I’ll turn in.’ She leaned down to drop a kiss on Hawke’s lips and he watched her go. Tet followed at her heels.

‘You two seem good.’ Dom said pleased.

‘We are.’ Hawke said.

Dom caught the slight hesitation. ‘Then what’s up?’

Hawke looked over at him; he never had been able to fool Dom for long. He sighed. ‘She told her folks we were moving in together.’

‘Ah.’ Dom looked down at the contents of his mug. ‘They don’t approve?’

‘Understatement.’ Hawke said.

‘Well, I know it’s the fashion these days, String but you know for us old folks it’s still a little…untraditional.’

‘It’s not just the moving in together though, Dom. They don’t approve of her coming back to LA, being with me,’ Hawke gave a humourless laugh, ‘me.’ He shook his head. ‘She’s pretending like it doesn’t matter to her but…’

‘But it matters.’

Hawke nodded. ‘She’s even saying that she’ll attend her sister’s wedding in December on her own and I know it’s because she’s worried what would happen if she turned up with me.’ He sighed. And I have no idea how to make it right for her, Dom.’ He found himself confessing. ‘I haven’t had to worry about a girlfriend’s parents since…since…well, a while.’

‘Well, parents are tricky,’ Dom said, ‘they probably just want what’s best for her.’

‘They have a funny way of showing it.’ The words were coloured with his anger.

Dom sighed. ‘They just need to get to know you and get to know how…how good the two of you are together, huh?’ He gave a chuckle. ‘You know I wasn’t too sure of Cait when she first came along.’ His eyes were shining with reassurance as they met Hawke’s. ‘But then I got to know her, got to see how much she cared about you and that gave us some common ground.’

‘I guess.’ Hawke murmured.

‘Give it time, String. They’ll come round.’

‘Thanks for the advice, Dom.’

‘Any time, kid.’ He glanced at the clock and sighed deeply. ‘Well, I’ve got to get going.’

Hawke looked at him surprised. ‘You’re not staying?’

‘Got an early call tomorrow. Some of us have to work you know.’ Dom gave a bark of laughter as he got to his feet and retrieved his jacket.

‘We’ll be back under your servitude tomorrow.’ Hawke said as he walked Dom out.

‘I can’t wait.’ Dom commented and gave him a hug.

‘Dom?’

The older man turned back towards the door.

‘My folks…they would have liked her, huh?’

Dom smiled. ‘They would have loved her.’

Hawke allowed a smile to flit across his lips. ‘See you tomorrow.’ He watched Dom’s jeep pull away before he locked up and went to bed.

The next morning, Hawke woke early. He left Caitlin sleeping and sat out on the small balcony of the apartment watching the sun come up over the beach and drinking coffee. He heard a sound from the kitchen and smiled; Caitlin was up. It was only a few moments later that she joined him. She handed him a fresh mug of coffee and sat in the chair next to him. She was dressed simply in jeans and t-shirt with her hair damp from the shower, deepening it to a dark copper.

‘You were up early.’ Caitlin said as he reached across to tangle her fingers with his. ‘Your arm bothering you?’

He shook his head. ‘Just had a lot on my mind.’ He took a gulp of the coffee and handed the mug back to her.

Caitlin hesitated and decided against asking; if he wanted to tell her, he would. Hawke caught the internal battle in her eyes and smiled inwardly. ‘I was thinking about parents.’

‘Oh?’

‘I visited a memorial to mine yesterday in the cemetery.’

Her eyes gleamed softly with compassion.

‘And I was thinking we should visit yours in Texas.’

Caitlin choked on the coffee and it took her a few moments to recover. She was about to respond when the phone rang.

‘You should get that.’ Hawke said.

She made a face. ‘We haven’t finished this discussion.’ She warned as he took the mug back and she went to answer the incessant ring.

‘Hi Everett.’ Caitlin’s eyes widened and shot to Hawke’s. ‘Oh my God! Is Dom OK?’

Hawke’s body stiffened and he left the balcony to stand next to her. His gaze scoured her anxious face.

‘OK. County hospital. Thanks, Everett.’ She put the phone down.

‘What’s happened?’ Hawke asked impatiently.

‘Dom collapsed at the airfield.’ She was already gathering her bag and jacket leading the way out of the apartment. ‘Everett called the paramedics.’ Hawke swore and followed her to the car. There was a tense silence as she drove them to the hospital.

The ER reception at the hospital was chaotic. Walking wounded crowded the small area for triage whilst doctors and nurses swarmed about rushing between patients. Hawke manoeuvred through the sea of people to the desk with Caitlin following close behind him.

‘Can I help you?’ The harried looking receptionist asked without looking at him.

‘I was told my friend was brought here. I’m his next of kin.’ Hawke said urgently.

‘Name of your friend, honey?’ She still hadn’t looked up at him but turned to the computer instead.

‘Dominic. Dominic Santini.’

‘They transferred him to the cardiac unit on the sixth floor. Elevators are around the corner. When you get up there, follow the yellow line.’

‘Thanks.’ Hawke pushed off the desk and they raced round to the elevators, dodging more patients and staff. They punched in the sixth floor and waited anxiously for the numbers on the floor dial to go up. They were out of the elevator before the doors were finished opening, almost running until they got to the cardiac unit desk.

The nurse looked up at and smiled reassuringly.

‘Dominic Santini. We were told he was brought here?’ Hawke bit out harshly.

‘Of course and you are?’

‘Stringfellow Hawke. I’m his next of kin.’

She checked her file. ‘If you could take a seat, Mr Hawke, I’ll get a doctor to come and see you.’

‘He is OK?’ Hawke asked as she went to use the phone.

She smiled again. ‘The doctor will explain everything.’

Caitlin put a hand on his arm and gently pulled him away to the seating area before he could argue. Hawke grabbed hold of Caitlin’s hand as they sat down. She looked at him uncertain what to say. She’d never seen him so openly panicked before. He looked lost. She decided not to say anything, just held his hand tightly.

A middle-aged doctor with a bald head and bushy beard approached them. They got to their feet. Hawke clung to Caitlin.

‘You’re Dominic Santini’s next of kin? I’m Doctor Franklin. I’m in charge of his care.’

‘Yes,’ Hawke said shortly, ‘is he OK?’

‘He’s a lucky man. Mr Santini had chest pains indicative of a potential heart attack.’

‘A heart attack?’ Hawke paled. ‘That’s bad, isn’t it?’

‘It was only chest pains this time.’ Doctor Franklin repeated. ‘More of a warning than an actual attack. We’re keeping him for observation and to run some more tests.’

‘Can we see him?’ Caitlin asked.

‘Of course.’ Doctor Franklin motioned for the nurse. ‘If you have any questions, please ask the nurse to find me.’

‘Thank you Doctor.’ Caitlin murmured.

They followed the nurse to a small room and she left them outside. Caitlin pulled Hawke to a stop before they walked in.

‘You go on in and have some time with him. I’ll be along in a minute after I’ve called Everett.’ Caitlin said in response to his questioning look.

Hawke kissed her gently and let go of her hand. He took a deep breath, knocked on the door and walked in. His eyes immediately went to the single hospital bed and its occupant. His heart seized in his chest at the sight of Dom’s normally indomitable figure clothed in a hospital gown, looking lost under a mountain of white linen and green blankets. Wires extended from his chest to a monitor which beeped in a reassuringly regular way.

Dom opened his eyes and smiled at his visitor. ‘Well, it’s about time you showed up.’

Hawke shrugged and walked over to stand next to the man who had been his surrogate father. He clasped the older man’s hand and Dom squeezed it.

‘I’m OK, kid.’

Hawke found his voice. ‘The doctor says you’re going to be fine.’ He admitted as he let go of Dom’s hand and shoved his own in his jeans pocket, rocking back on his heels.

‘See!’ Dom resolutely ignored the sheen of tears in the younger man’s eyes. ‘You know me tough as old boots.’ He harrumphed and gestured at the room. ‘I don’t really need to stay here. Give me a minute and I’ll find some clothes and…’

‘You’ll stay.’ Hawke said finding a chair and sitting down by the bed.

Dom grunted but snuggled back into the stacked pillows.

‘What happened?’ Hawke asked.

‘Beats me, kid.’ Dom sighed. ‘One minute I was fine and the next…’ His voice trailed away as he remembered the sharp pains in his chest that had stolen his breath and scared the hell out of him. He sighed. ‘Doc says I should be out of here tomorrow. They’re just keeping me for some tests.’

‘That’s what he said.’ Hawke agreed.

‘Where’s Caitlin?’ Dom asked.

‘Here.’ Hawke said. ‘She’s gone to call Everett and let him know you’re OK.’

‘That’s good of her.’ Dom said. He caught the flicker of worry in Hawke’s eyes. ‘Don’t worry, String. Another couple of weeks and I’ll be right as rain.’

—

‘Dom, what the hell are you doing?’ Hawke took two angry steps across the Santini Air office and yanked the sandwich out of the older man’s hand. He stared in disgust at the mixture of bologna, salami and some other fatty meat he worriedly couldn’t identify. Dom tried to snatch his lunch back; Hawke dodged him easily and chucked it in the trash.

‘Were you listening to the doctor at all?’ Hawke snapped at him. ‘You need a healthy diet or you could have a real heart attack.’ The memory of visiting Dom in the hospital a couple of weeks previously after the older man had experienced chest pains was still fresh in Hawke’s mind.

‘It’s a load of nonsense.’ Dom put his hands on hips and gestured at the younger man. ‘You just threw out my sandwich. What am I supposed to eat now?’

‘There’s a salad in the fridge.’ Hawke said.

Dom snorted in disgust. ‘Rabbit food.’

‘You heard what the doctor said.’ Hawke nagged him. ‘You need to change your eating habits, less red meat, more salad and vegetables…’

‘String, you are not my mother!’ Dom yelled.

The two men glared at each other. Hawke spun on his heel and walked out of the office.

Dom watched him go and rubbed his chest. The remembered pain he’d suffered in his mind. He turned around and straight into Caitlin’s accusing stare.

‘Oh now don’t you start.’ Dom muttered.

Caitlin crossed her arms. ‘He’s worried about you, Dom.’

‘Well, he doesn’t need to be.’

‘Dom, it was just a couple of weeks ago that you were in the hospital.’ Caitlin reminded him.

‘And if the two of you don’t stop raising my blood pressure with all this nagging, I’ll soon be back there.’ He snapped and immediately felt guilty as Caitlin recoiled as though he’d slapped her.

Her blue eyes flashed and temper kicked in. ‘Dominic Santini, you want to take it out on me? Fine. But you ever say that to String, and you and I are through.’

‘Caitlin…’

‘No, you listen. String needs you alive. You matter to him and he’s scared stiff that he’s going to lose you because you’re going to kill yourself with bad habits. So you will eat what the doctor told you to, you will exercise and you will do everything other damn thing else the doctor told you. You understand me?’ She held Dom’s shocked gaze for a beat before she stalked out of the office. The door slammed behind her.

Dom looked at the closed door and sighed. He looked heavenward for a moment and gestured. He took his cap off stuffing it in his pocket and rubbed his hand through his short grey hair. He sighed. He walked over and opened the office door coming face to face with a surprised Hawke who took a stumbling step back.

‘I’m sorry.’ They spoke in unison and their gazes collided in rueful amusement.

‘I’m sorry kid.’ Dom said. ‘I shouldn’t have gone off at you like that.’

Hawke sighed. ‘I’m not sure I didn’t deserve it.’

Dom harrumphed. ‘So are we OK?’

‘We’re OK.’ Hawke agreed and felt the tension in his gut dissipate.

‘Good.’ Dom rubbed his hands together and sighed. ‘Look, I’ve been thinking…’

‘Oh?’

‘I might head to Italy for a while.’

‘Italy?’ Hawke leaned a shoulder on the office doorway and looked back at Dom with the question in his blue eyes.

‘Yeah. You know my sister Maria, well she’s been on at me to go and recuperate over there ever since the…the hospital.’ Dom said. ‘And I was thinking maybe that’s not such a bad idea. Good Italian diet. Plenty of rest and relaxation.’

‘This isn’t because of…’

‘No, no.’ Dom reassured him and then as Hawke continued to watch him with an even blue gaze, sighed. ‘Although I’m thinking we could do with the break from each other, kid.’

‘I know I’ve kinda been nagging at you, Dom…’

‘And I know it’s because I scared you, String.’ Dom gave a small laugh. ‘Scared me too.’

Hawke broke their eye contact, staring at the floor.

‘And I think that’s why we need to take…take a time out. Kinda give ourselves a chance to come to terms with it without worrying at each other.’

Hawke straightened and folded his arms. ‘Guess you could be right.’ He sighed. ‘When do you leave?’

‘Tomorrow.’ Dom said. ‘You can watch the business for me? It should be pretty quiet.’

‘Sure.’ Hawke agreed.

‘Good.’ Dom glanced over Hawke’s shoulder and looked at Caitlin abashed. ‘About before…’

‘Forget it, Dom.’ Caitlin waved his imminent apology away.

‘You know you’re lucky to have her.’ Dom said.

Hawke smiled, his warm blue gaze connecting with Caitlin’s. ‘I know.’

Dom slapped his red cap on. ‘Well, we have work to do, huh?’

‘What happened to lunch?’ Hawke asked wryly.

Dom harrumphed. ‘Why don’t we head out to Dino’s and have a proper lunch?’

‘Great.’ Caitlin grinned and headed for the jeep. ‘It’s not often you offer to buy lunch.’

‘Now hang on, who said anything about buying…’ Dom spluttered. ‘Now you just wait a minute…’

Hawke grinned and slapped a friendly arm around Dom’s shoulder as they followed Caitlin out of the hangar and into the LA sunshine.

fin.

Next Story: Personal Business