Airwolf And I, Vice Versa

Chapter Three

Dominic drove the Santini Air Jeep through the snow of the desert of the Valley of the Gods which was Airwolf’s Lair. Hawke had remained silent since Dominic had read out the report about Kristien. Hawke sat in the jeep holding the leather file with the report about Kristien in close to his chest as if holding it somehow gave him comfort of having something written about Kristien close to him.

Dominic knew that somehow Hawke’s and Kristien’s destinies were inextricably linked and how their hearts and their complicated souls somehow transcended time and space, circumventing the laws of physics and probability, such was their bond, but when Kristien was kidnapped Hawke seemed to lose their bond, he knew she was alive, somewhere like he did with Saint John, but again could not pin point where she was.

Hawke never understood fully about their special bond and how it worked, he just knew he could actually read her mind when she was in close proximity and know how she was feeling. Both of them knew where each other was at any given time.

In the first days of the kidnapping Hawke felt Kristien’s uncontrolled fear, it hit him like a tidal wave but then as the days blended into a week Hawke felt nothing, sometimes he got snapshots of helplessness but that was it.

In the lair Dominic stopped the engine of the jeep and looked at Airwolf stood with the light from the chimney shining down on the helicopter.

“It doesn’t matter how many times we do this, she always takes your breath away and gives you that warm feeling inside.” Dominic said looking at his ‘baby’.

Hawke looked at Airwolf remembering the first time he set eyes on her at Red Star Control where he first met Kristien. He got out of the jeep and went over to Airwolf and put both his hands on the nose of the helicopter. Suddenly he felt immense sadness wash over him, like a tsunami hitting the shore, Hawke was over come and his knees buckled. Dominic had already exited the jeep and was just about to launch into his ‘isn’t she lovely’ routine when he saw Hawke falter, thinking it was the cognac now hitting his young friend he went to Hawke’s aid and put his arm around him.

“Hey, you ok?” Dominic asked worrying about how the hell they were going to fly Airwolf ‘cold’ and across the atlantic.

“I felt her Dom.” Hawke looked at Dominic with watery eyes. “I could feel Kristien just for a second.”

Dominic was really concerned. All these years Hawke just knew she was alive and could not feel Kristien in the way that they used to enjoy on a daily basis. If now Hawke was linked again with Kristien and he was getting the double whammy of helpings of her feelings, and flying closer to her, surely this would bring on all the emotions at once. How the hell could he help Hawke through this? They were going to have the hands full flying Airwolf cold let alone have Hawke all his emotions going haywire at the same time.

Dominic hugged Hawke rubbing his shoulders. “Hey, come on, you got a lot of flying to do before you can allow Kristie and you to connect again.” He told him. “You don’t know what has happened to her over the last five years. So just, you know, cut back on the ESP stuff, just until we get the Lady over there. Then you can bend the laws of physics and stuff and connect all you like.” Dominic hoped that he had said enough to provide some clarity in what must be a roller coaster ride of emotions and torment and in a way which wouldn’t piss off his tortured young friend anymore than was necessary.

Hawke looked at the old Italian and knew he was right. Hawke took a deep breath, knowing that Dominic was right about this.

“Yeah, let’s get this Lady over there for a lot of TLC.” Hawke brought himself back to earth and hoped too that he could hold himself together until he and Kristien would meet again. Hawke reached deep down inside and brought up his aloof nature again, with all the pain of the ghosts of his past. Perhaps wallowing in the pain would stop him thinking about Kristien for the time being.

Hawke was flying Airwolf over the Atlantic at one thousand feet, flying Airwolf cold had its drawbacks. Airwolf had just been refuelled for the second time that flight. He was cursing himself at opening the one hundred and fifty year old cognac and drinking half the bottle especially as the autopilot was not working on Airwolf. Pity he didn’t savour the taste otherwise the mother of all hangovers he was heading for would have been worth it.

His head was pounding as if a herd of elephants were attempting to learn how to tap dance on his head. He had managed to convince Dominic to sleep for a while as even Dominic’s voice in the helmets became too much for Hawke’s delicate self inflicted state. Damn that was one hell of a good cognac.

He was nearing the UK and he was going over several things in his head one of which is what he would say to Kristie when he would meet her again. Something he had practised for over five years and Hawke hoped by now that it would be a polished performance, but he felt it was sadly lacking with any lustre.

He and Dominic had read the reports on Kristien. Half of him was looking forward to seeing her again and the other half was dreading the meeting. He had tried to find her and if the FIRM could not find her, a poor excuse he felt, but it was an excuse after all.

They had to rendezvous with Archangel and Kristien’s head of Security. Hawke looked over to the flight plan on the clipboard. They were pretending to be a commercial freight flight from Newfoundland, everything so far had gone well despite Airwolf’s computers not being on. He hated being in the dark especially with the Lady, anyone could grab Airwolf at anytime.

Special Agent Carsten stood next to the white Limousine. He was not at all happy. He stood dressed in black clashing with the pristine white of the FIRM. Archangel sat with the door open, drinking champagne, smiling at what he had managed to accomplish in the last three days. He still hadn’t given the Secret Service Agent a bollocking for putting the phone down on him. He was saving that up with interest.

“You know Carsten,” Archangel said savouring the champagne waiting for Airwolf to arrive. “You and Hawke are really going to get on.” Archangel said sarcastically as he really hoped that Hawke would be his normal charming self on this occasion although he really wanted to witness the encounter he knew that Hawke would not land Airwolf and stay anywhere near where Archangel was staying. He had given Hawke his word that he would go back to Washington whilst Hawke remained at Kristien’s.

Archangel loved the deal that he and Hawke had struck up three years previous. He had helped Hawke on a number of occasions keep Airwolf out of the other agencies hands in return for Hawke flying Airwolf on missions for the FIRM. He was not about to jeopardize that.

Carsten ignored the jibe. He had hated the last 72 hours. Archangel had gone above him to the President and he was not happy about that. What pissed him off even more was the fact that Kristien had dismissed him on quite a few occasions whilst she and Archangel talked in depth about Airwolf, what ever that was. Nothing was in her file about that. Carsten thought he knew everything about the young lady that he was protecting but this last couple of days had really proved difficult. He really felt on the outside of what ever Archangel and she was planning. He hated being out of the loop.

Airwolf flew over the coordinates where Archangel and Carsten were waiting. The limousine shook as Airwolf’s downwash lashed down. Archangel smiled at the sight of Airwolf taking a left bank over them howling as she turned and watched as Airwolf started to land. He saw Carsten’s jaw drop wide open at the sight of Airwolf. Archangel would never get tired of seeing people’s first reaction to the astounding helicopter. Carsten could not believe his eyes, where the hell did the FIRM get the money for that and more importantly how was Kristien involved? Certainly the President could do with a few of these parked on the White House lawns.

Hawke did not turn off Airwolf’s engines. “This will only take a minute Dom.” He told the older man in the EDCC. Hawke stepped outside of Airwolf and walked over to Archangel. Hawke put on his sunglasses to cover his aching eyes from the sun and also to hide the fact he had flown Airwolf non stop for over 5 hours at Mach one and to top it all with one hell of a hangover.

“Stringfellow Hawke, meet Special Agent Matthew Carsten.” Archangel introduced the two men who looked each other up and down, Hawke did not take off his sunglasses and neither did Carsten. Good Archangel thought, they hate each other already. “He’s head of security and he’s the one insisting that he flies in with you.”

Carsten looked Hawke up and down and was trying to work out who he was and how the hell he had access to a helicopter of this magnitude. What did he do steal it? And how did he know Kristien? Carsten noted that Hawke was a good deal older than Kristien. Perhaps she was the scientist on the project of Airwolf, and Hawke? Carsten could not work out what was in front of him, he would have to pull in some favours from the White House to find out more.

“I take it the FIRM is on the next Air Force flight out.” Hawke asked Archangel ignoring the introduction to the man dressed in black.

“Of course Hawke, that’s the deal. You know me.” Archangel confirmed. “You won’t see me at all.”

Carsten was furious at being ignored. Although over the last few days of being dismissed by Kristien he should have got used to it. He felt he should not have to put up with it here. He was just about to launch into one of his ‘I am in charge’ routines when Hawke actually addressed him.

“You flown at Mach one before?” Hawke asked slyly looking directly at Archangel.

Carsten looked at Hawke through his sunglasses wondering why he was asking that. “Does Air Force One count?” Carsten replied coyly and keeping a lid on his absolute disgust at being ignored.

Hawke smiled inwardly. This was going to be fun.

“Well,……I will leave you two to get acquainted.” Archangel was pleased that Hawke was indeed his usual self and to add insult to injury to Carsten he added. “Hawke, if you need anything you call me and I will go straight to the President.” Archangel was happy that he could bypass Carsten and thought Hawke should have the same privilege also.

“As it should be.” Hawke said and turned to return to Airwolf.

Carsten was really pissed off with that. Archangel’s limousine headed off down the track. Hawke turned around and headed to Airwolf. Carsten stood for a moment wondering why Hawke had not spoken anymore to him. Realising that Hawke was getting into Airwolf and was going to leave him behind he ran over to Airwolf keeping his head low. Carsten got in and looked at all the computers and the dials and the displays. He put on the helmet that was on his seat. Never had he seen such an aircraft in his life.

“Welcome aboard the Starship Enterprise, weapons are to maximum and we will be doing warp factor 9.” A voice said from behind. Carsten turned around not realising that Dominic was sat behind.

“Er what…….?” Carsten managed to say before Airwolf took off and Hawke pressed the turbo’s burying Carsten into the seat. He could barely breathe. For good measure Hawke pulled up the cyclic and launched Airwolf into a power climb. Carsten felt sick.

Hawke was enjoying this. He had spoken to Archangel earlier on the secure line and was told about the ‘little prick’ and how he made Archangel call the President to sort things out.

Hawke levelled off Airwolf and let the turbo’s disengage.

“So we need a heading?” He demanded coldly. “Or shall I show you a bit more?”

Carsten was going to throw up at any moment, his composure was completely gone. Not only had all his anger drained away but so had most of his blood to his feet. The secret service did not train him for this and Carsten had never been recruited from any special forces, he had gone direct to the Secret Service from College. His idea of directing Hawke had gone completely as he looked down at the small earth below him. “Here.” Carsten managed to say without throwing up, handing Hawke his PDA that earlier Kristien had put in the longitude and latitude of the landing coordinates for Hawke. Hawke glanced at them and satisfied that he had given Carsten lesson one he set off in the direction of Kristien’s estate.

Carsten held onto the PDA and disabled the security systems as Airwolf flew in to Kristien’s estate. It was huge. There were thousands of acres of paddocks, there were loads of buildings and barns, there were also impressive gallops both turf and all weather, other farm buildings and various large houses, then he saw a lake, not as large as his Eagle Lake but still big enough with a hunting lodge in front. There a mile or so behind was the most beautiful and biggest Elizabethan Stately home he had ever seen. Hawke looked at what was before him and instantly thought about when he and Kristien were going to come here for the birth of their first child. Hawke’s eyes became moist as he thought about what could have been. God this visit was going to be really hard.

Hawke brought Airwolf in and landed in front of the majestic house. Airwolf was dwarfed by the sheer size of the house. Carsten almost fell out of Airwolf and ran into the house past Kristien and another man dressed in black, Special Agent Tom Redwood, Kristien’s other personal protection agent who really got on with Kristien as he not only rode horses but he allowed Kristien to breathe and not shadow her every move.

Kristien smiled as she knew that Carsten had probably been shown Mach One in Airwolf, she had seen enough hasty exits from Airwolf five years previous to know that he was about to empty the contents of his stomach. She walked outside and looked at Airwolf parked on her driveway, she ignored the beauty of that moment after all it was only a machine and walked forward, leaving Redwood himself with his mouth wide open. Dominic saw Kristien first he ran over to her, arms outstretched and picked her up in a hug.

“Kristien, my goodness look at you. You look great! And this place. Whoooo.” Dominic hugged Kristien and patted her back. Kristien returned the hug and could not believe that this day had finally arrived. After five years it was so lovely to see the Old Italian again, she had missed his sense of humour and his very old fashioned ways. Dominic and Alfred would really hit it off.

Kristien looked over at Hawke who was putting his sunglasses on hiding his deep brooding, hung over eyes from view. He kept Airwolf in between him and the house and where Kristien was with Dominic. He watched them together as if nothing had happened in the last five years. How he wished he could just do the same.

Hawke stood back at Airwolf watching Dominic and Kristien, frozen to the spot. Dominic let go of Kristien and put his hands on her shoulders and looked her up and down.

“Hello Dom, it’s good to see you again.” Kristien replied smiling. Dominic expected Hawke to be right behind him but he turned round and saw Hawke rooted to the spot, still at Airwolf, he felt he needed to make up an excuse.

“Oh, best you show us where to put the Lady to bed then String will be happy and relax a bit.” Dominic lied to Kristien wishing Hawke would have at least come over to talk to Kristien. God really, he knew he told Hawke to not connect but hell he had finished flying, surely he could be at least civil to her now? After all he nearly pickled his liver over her the night before.

Kristien walked away from Airwolf and the pain that she was feeling from Hawke, down towards the hangar, followed by Carsten who had just come from the house still looking rather white against his black suit. Three other Secret Service Agents just appeared and escorted Kristien also. The hangar was state of the art, where she often worked as she had the only access to it. When she wanted peace and quiet she would often disappear to the hangar whether there was an aircraft to be worked on or not. The secret service was banned from 3 places on her estate, her private quarters, her lodge and the hangar. That was non negotiable and Lord help any operative that would break that rule.

Hawke and Dominic followed on behind Carsten not quite believing how many agents were just escorting them. Carsten slowed up on purpose allowing some space between him and Kristien. He reached into his pockets and stopped and turned to Hawke and Dominic.

“You guys need these.” Carsten handed the men a PDA each and a small GPS locator. “Carry these at all times. I need to know where everyone is at any given time.” He informed them. Carsten continued to walk and caught up with Kristien. These were two of the strangest pilots he had ever come across. He was used to either the US or the British Government sending up secret military aircraft for Kristien to work on but the usual flyboys that came always tried to charm the pants off Kristien. One looked like her grandfather and the other, well, Kristien would never be tempted by an arrogant and rude individual.

Hawke did not like the idea of a locator being anywhere near him let alone The Lady. Dominic looked at the two items he was given and Hawke handed him his. Dominic smiled at Hawke and nodded quietly. He had already seen a couple of dobermanns about the place and knew he would need to give a run around to these guys dressed in black, they were everywhere! Perhaps the dogs could borrow the locators for a run.

They walked down to a huge hangar, a silver building with doors big enough to take a Hercules. Hawke noticed the surface to air missiles all on automatic outside the hangar.

Kristien put her head towards a screen at the doorway and a red laser light ‘read’ her eye and at the same time a handprint reader read the palm of her hand.

The small pedestrian door opened automatically and Hawke and Dominic followed Kristien inside. The door closed by itself. Carsten remained outside breathing in the fresh air still trying to get colour back into him.

The lights came on automatically.

“Well this is it.” Kristien pointed to the hangar area. Various work benches adorned the sides with tools and computers, to one side was a ‘clean room’ complete with airlocks. Kristien pointed over to one of the sides. “There’s basic living quarters there, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, the usual stuff. And over there is a huge shower complex, built really for decontamination but I have only ever used it for showers. Entry is only accepted by retinal scan and handprint ID. I can program the computer to accept you and String. No one else has access. Not even the hounds of the Baskervilles.” Kristien used the nickname that Alfred gave the men dressed in black.

“Arh honey this is great.” Dominic said to her looking around nodding approvingly. The Lady would love these surroundings, Dominic thought.

Kristien pointed upwards. “Access for Airwolf is above or the front door here.” She threw a remote control box over to Dom. “You will need this to get in above or press the bottom button and the front doors open. Simple. Everything is magnetised down so don’t worry about the downwash.”

“String, this is great huh?” Dominic tried to engage him in conversation as he looked very enviously around the fully equipped aircraft hangar. Wow if only he had one of these back at Van Nuys then the Lady would have everything she needed.

Hawke looked at Dominic still with his sunglasses on. He was suspicious of all the secret service agents about but noticed that they didn’t come into the hangar. Hawke decided that he would stay with Airwolf all the time so that no one could get their hands on her.

Kristien walked over to a computer console and pointed. “If you boys look into here and place your hand on there then the computer will ID you both so you can come and go as you please.”

Hawke walked over first and it took seconds to ID him.

“Dom? Are you coming?” Kristien beckoned to him to come over.

“Oh not me honey, I am intending to kick back and rest. I won’t be needing to have access. Besides String won’t be leaving her.” Dominic informed her knowing that Hawke had already made that clear by giving him the locators that the secret service agent had just given him.

“Oh great.” Kristien muttered under her breath whilst finishing up at the computer. That’s all she wanted was Hawke under her feet watching her every move. She liked to work alone and the hangar allowed just that. He hadn’t even said hello to her so she knew that the pair of them would probably clash anytime soon, the only greeting she got from him was pain and despair. Just like the countdown to a detonation she knew that soon would happen as she remembered that Hawke did not like liars, although she had not lied to him about who she was, she had certainly never given him the truth.

Hawke on hearing Kristien’s muttering, he left to go and get Airwolf. He was not sure about anything anymore. As he walked back up to the helicopter that had now drawn a crowd of men in black, he tried to work out what was preventing him and Kristien from talking. Was it him? His curse? Or was it her?

Minutes later the hangar roof was opening and Airwolf complete with howls from the engines was descending into her temporary new home. Hawke looked over at Kristien who was still talking to Dominic. He watched her. She was still the same as the day he met her. Young and vibrant. God how he wanted to feel her in his arms again to console her about the loss of their baby, to tell her how he had missed her and how he had searched the earth for her. But he felt a physical barrier between them. Whether it was real or imagined, the five years of separation had taken its toll.

Dominic came over to Airwolf and got out his holdall to take up to the house. Kristien had promised him already he could chose which one of the hundred odd bedrooms he could sleep in and as there were many four poster beds he was going to make sure he tried as many as he could. Perhaps he could change every night to a different room. Something that Kristien had actually done when she was a small child, spending a different day in each of the rooms over a year or so.

Hawke closed the hangar doors above as Dominic and Kristien left.

The silence was shattered as the doors above closed shut made a very heavy metal sound echoing around the hangar. Then silence fell, 2 lights from the roof remained on as the rest switched off automatically.

Airwolf stood bathed in the new light. Hawke stood in the shadows staring at the awesome helicopter as he felt the nagging twisting of his guts that something was going to happen.