01x06 - One Way Express

[bunniefuu]

[helicopter blades humming]

(narrator) File A56

-7W.

Top secret.

Subject.

: Airwolf.

A Mach 1

-plus att*ck helicopter, sought by governments friendly and foreign, Airwolf has been hidden by test pilot Stringfellow Hawke to be returned to the government only if his brother Saint John, an MIA in Vietnam, can be found.

Michael Coldsmith

-Briggs III, code name Archangel, deputy director of the intelligence agency that developed Airwolf, believed to covertly provide logistical support to Hawke in exchange for flying Airwolf on missions of national interest.

Hawke is 34, reclusive, sensitive, a loner, known to associate with his only friend and mentor, Dominic Santini.

Together, Hawke and Santini fly Airwolf at speeds rivaling the fastest jets.

Backed by unmatched firepower, Airwolf is a w*apon too dangerous to be left in unenlightened hands.

Finding Airwolf is your number one priority.

End of file.

(Sayes) Hold that truck at 60! That idiot is going to run out of road.

Vinnie, you're running out of time.

Vinnie.

Vinnie, are you all right?

[people chattering]

(man #1) He dropped right here.

(man #2) Come on, guys, let's go see if he's all right.

Hey! Hey! Vinnie, are you all right?

Vinnie! Yeah.

At least l'm in one piece.

This thing can't be done.

Come on.

Help him out.

Come on.

[Vinnie coughing]

Hello, Simon.

l see you have succeeded in failing again.

l'm sorry, Mr.

Maurice, but l don't really think that stunt can be done.

The script was approved and budgeted.

You agreed to it, Simon.

There'll be no changes.

Vinnie is one of the best pilots in the business.

He did the flying in the Green Cloudburst film.

Who's the best, Simon?

Santini Air, but that won't be easy.

l'll only deal with legitimate organizations.

Well, they're legitimate, all right.

lt's, uh, just that they're a lot more eXpensive.

Mr.

Sayes, l discovered you at the bottom of the barrel of used

-to

-be directors.

l've given you the opportunity to become a wealthy man if this film is successful.

do not pinch pennies on my behalf or yours.

Now, do you understand?

l think so.

No, don't think, Sayes.

Just listen and do.

Yes, sir.

[screeching]

(dominic) What have you got against rich?

(Hawke) l don't know.

l never did it.

Ah, ''Rich'' ain't an ''it,'' it's an ''is.

'' That's lousy English.

Well, l'm talkin' money, not pronunciation.

l don't need any right now.

Ah, ah, but l do.

[classical music playing on stereo]

So l'm supposed to land on a truck going 60 miles an hour?

No.

l'm going to.

l need you to work ground control.

You want me to work ground?

Yeah, you.

Why, what's the matter?

Nothin', dom.

ls the money really all that important?

What are you trying to say?

Come on, spit it out, String.

You're chewin' on something and not swallowin'.

l don't think you ought to do this stunt.

What, are you sayin' l can't do it?

You think l'm washed up?

dom, l can't run the 100 in 10 seconds anymore.

And l can't stay up for three days and bounce back with four hours' sleep.

And sometimes, when it's real damp and cold, the man

-made cracks in these bones of mine ache like hell.

l try to remember that when l take one of these jobs.

Well, maybe you're the one that's gettin' old.

But l'm not ready to retire yet.

l'm flyin' this stunt with or without you.

(Maurice) Stringfellow Hawke?

ls the name for real?

(dominic) lt's for real.

Only he won't be doin' the flyin'.

l will.

Oh.

Great stuff, huh?

l just might consider investing in an orchard.

Hey, Simon?

(Maurice) Gentlemen.

To the test run late this afternoon.

There'll be no test run.

l believe l'm covering the cost of the test in the overall deal.

Look, Mr.

Santini, l just want to make sure that you can do it, that's all.

Oh, l'm sure.

Because l'm not plannin' on killin' myself.

Well, then why not do the practice run just to satisfy me?

Mister, l've got 30 years of practicing under my belt.

l don't think l need any more.

Besides, it's gonna take me a couple of days just to rig the helicopter, do some figurin' on the weights.

And he said there wasn't much time.

From what l hear, this, uh, [laughs]

this Stringfellow Hawke does most of the flying.

l'm Santini Air.

l decide who flies my equipment, or who uses my equipment.

l'll deliver, or you don't have to pay a red cent.

Without this stunt my film doesn't work.

Are you willing to pick up the cost if you fail?

Yeah.

You could lose your whole business.

lt's my business to lose, isn't it?

Mr.

Santini, you've got yourself a deal.

Welcome aboard.

Oh, by the way, Mr.

Sayes will handle everything.

Gentlemen.

What if he doesn't pull it off?

The man is betting everything he owns on his ability.

He could still be wrong.

l know.

That's why l want you to contact this, uh Stringfellow.

Whatever.

[laughs]

[car honking]

Good morning, Edward.

Morning.

l can't drink coffee anymore.

Gets my nerves raggedy.

l know that.

Take it.

lt's orange juice.

[Maurice chuckles]

lf l didn't know you better, Mr.

Maurice, l'd swear my mother sent you.

God rest her soul.

What do you say we hold the services for later, all right?

Sorry, Mr.

Maurice.

l'm just a little nervous.

l think this should calm you down.

l

-

-l won't be able to have the final schedule until tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be fine.

What if l'm not on duty?

Make sure you're there.

Yeah, but you see, it doesn't work that way, Mr.

Maurice.

Mr.

Stoner, you telling me that you might be unable to deliver?

No.

No.

l'll come through.

l'm sure you will.

You don't have to worry about me, Mr.

Maurice.

l have to worry about everything, Ed.

You only have to worry about your health.

[music playing on stereo]

(Hawke) You seem to have gone to an awful lot of trouble contacting me by radio just to see if dominic Santini can fly.

Well, l know he can fly, Mr.

Hawke, but can he do it as well as you?

He taught me.

How long ago?

dominic is one of the best chopper pilots in the business.

[laughing]

l hear that you're the best.

Mr.

Santini has given us a completion guarantee that will either make him a great deal of money or lose him his business.

What's important is that if he fails, my film fails.

What's important is that if he fails, he could lose his life.

Yes.

lt would be a shame.

Naturally.

And apparently, it concerns you as much as it does me.

The only thing that seems to concern you is your film.

Well, l believe we can satisfy all our purposes if you fly the stunt for me.

lt's dominic's company.

l can't tell him what to do.

What is it?

The money?

l'm sure l can sway your thinking.

lt's not the money.

Of course.

l'm sure you'd like to keep him hale and hearty.

Here's my offer.

l'll disregard the completion guarantee if you'll fly the stunt sequence.

And, win or lose, your friend Mr.

Santini gets the best of it.

His health and a sizable profit.

l can't tell dominic what to do.

He's his own man.

Think about it.

But l want an answer by tomorrow noon.

l can give you one right now.

There's no way that l'm going to undercut dominic.

Even if you could save his life?

[sighing]

[airplane engine whirring]

(Hawke) You know, junk food will k*ll you.

What, you think my stomach's too old to take it?

You're going to tell me how to eat now, too?

l didn't mean it like that.

l was just kiddin'.

Some things aren't funny.

Sorry, dom.

Okay.

Accepted.

What are you doin' here at this hour?

l changed my mind.

About what?

The stunt?

Yeah.

[airplane hovering]

l'd like to do it with you.

[laughs]

Ahhh, l knew you'd come around.

Now, now, String, this stunt is not as tough as it seems.

All we need is a quarter

-mile of straight road and for the truck to go a steady 60, right?

Now, l'll make a flying approach lined up on the road.

The critical part is the last 6 inches.

You'll call them up from the camera ship.

Huh?

Once l touch down, we're rich.

[laughing]

What's the matter?

Oh.

Oh, l forgot.

You don't know from rich, huh?

dom, l meant l'd fly the stunt for you.

Hey, come on, dom, why are you bein' so stubborn?

Because l'm not an old man ready for the rocking chair! l'm a pilot and a good one.

l taught you, remember?

Yeah.

You taught me how to survive, too.

Evidently, l didn't teach you well enough.

Because you're still standin' there.

Hey, dom l mean it, String! (Archangel) l was on my way to an international conference on terrorism and you get me here for this?

dominic means a lot more to me than a ''this.

'' Okay.

Grounding his entire operation just so that he won't fly a stunt could be considered overkill.

Yeah, and if he crashes, you call it underkill?

You sure you're not bein' overprotective?

No.

Listen, at his age, his refleXes have slowed enough that a stunt like this just could k*ll him.

l could get the FAA to pull his license.

[clock dinging]

That would k*ll him a whole lot quicker.

do you want my help or don't you?

Yeah, l want your help, but not by pullin' his ticket.

There's got to be some other way.

You sure don't make it easy.

Well, that's why l called for the best.

[chuckling]

Please, Hawke, don't try flattery.

You do it so badly.

Maybe, maybe l could get the State to pull the film permit just long enough for dominic to calm down.

That's a good idea.

Thanks.

don't be grateful until you find out what it's gonna cost you.

What is it going to cost me?

l'll think of something.

What's the name of that production company?

Bear Trap Productions.

Some guy named Philip Maurice.

What's the matter?

Why don't you fly this stunt?

l told you: dominic won't let me.

lt's the production company's decision, not dominic's.

lf l fly it, l'd lose a friend.

You'd be saving his life.

You said you'd help.

Now you're crawfishin' on me.

How come?

[grunting]

Philip Maurice.

He's one of those brilliant minds that has the ability to function totally without conscience in a deadly manner.

He masterminded a raid on a diamond mine in South Africa.

h*jacked uranium from a defense plant in England.

He stole a MiG

-21 from Red China.

You name it, Mr.

Maurice has done it.

Then every law enforcement agency in the world ought to be after him.

Why don't you just grab him and save us both a problem?

lt's not that simple.

What he's done and what he can be charged with are two different things.

Michael, there's something you're not telling me.

to the highest bidder.

l take it that wasn't you.

No, the Russians bought it back.

You got outbid, eh?

You remember Sonia?

No.

She'd only been with me about a year when she went to East Berlin to bid on that decoder.

When the Russians picked it up, they also got her.

l can't prove that Maurice turned her over to them, but l know he did.

Just as sure as l know the sun will rise in the morning.

l want him, Hawke.

And this movie he's making is probably a front for somethin' l can nail him on.

You know what you're asking me?

lf her name were Gabrielle instead of Sonia, what would you do then?

l'll let you know.

(Dominic) What, are you sayin' I can't do it?

You think I'm washed up?

(Hawke) At his age, his reflexes have slowed enough that a stunt like this just could k*ll him.

(Dominic) I'm flyin' this stunt with or without you.

I'm not an old man ready for the rockin' chair! I'm a pilot and a good one.

(Hawke) There's no way I'm going to undercut Dominic.

(Maurice) Even if you could save his life?

(Sayes) You'll fly the stunt?

(Hawke) That's what l said.

Mr.

Maurice will be very pleased.

l'd like to see him.

He's out of town right now, but l can sign the agreement.

There's nothin' to sign.

l'll do the flyin', you pay Santini Air.

[laughing]

Why do l get the feeling Mr.

Santini knows nothing about this?

l don't know, but whatever the reason, it's none of your business.

Okay, no problem.

So when and where are we gonna sh**t this stunt?

We'll be filming on several locations around the world.

Your sequence will be sh*t in Northern California within five days.

When and where, eXactly?

What difference does it make?

Wind, weather, atmospheric conditions, fuel supply, spare parts.

Not your problem, we'll handle it.

l'd like to know eXactly how you're handling that.

This isn't our first production.

Mine, either.

l'll get you a copy of your action sequence and l'll get in touch with you about the rest of the details in the morning, okay?

Yeah.

Mr.

Santini, this is Sayes from Bear Trap Productions.

[classical music playing on stereo]

l didn't eXpect it from you.

Not you.

[sighing]

l'm sorry, dom, l had to do it.

To make me feel like a useless old man?

Well, that's not why l'm doin' it.

Oh, you got a better reason?

Yeah, if you'll listen.

Oh, l'm all ears.

Archangel knows Maurice.

He's a k*ller and a thief.

He's pulled off dozens of hi

-tech robberies all over the world.

His movie stunt is probably a cover for another caper.

Archangel wants to nail him.

He asked if l'd help.

[sighs]

l'm supposed to believe this fairy tale?

dom, it's the truth.

Okay, supposing it is, then why are you still flying this stunt instead of me?

l told you.

Archangel asked me to help.

Then do it from the ground.

Probably give you a better position, anyway.

damn it, we've been through this.

Yes, we have.

You think l'm over the hill, ready for the boneyard.

No, l just think this one particular stunt might be just a little too risky.

And if l can't cut it, then l want to know.

Even if it kills you?

Yeah, kid.

Even if it kills me.

Look, dom

-

- [grunts]

Come on.

Come on.

Won't you even fight me like l'm still a man?

[screeching]

(Archangel) So now you're to land a raiding party on the boXcar of a moving train, cut a hole in the roof, rescue the girl, and then take off to the strains of a symphony orchestra?

Yeah, l know.

Sounds like a bad TV movie to me, too.

Or the perfect cover for The Great Train Robbery.

What is it that could be shipped by a train that would be worth all Maurice's efforts?

Well, not everything goes by plane, Hawke.

There's still a whole world out there in constant contact with the ground.

Precious metals, computer parts, weapons, cash transfers, art.

lt could be any one of a thousand things.

So what you're sayin' is it could be somethin' shipped by a train in the neXt five days through the San Joaquin valley.

l'm afraid so.

l could run a computer check on all government shipments, but that would still leave out corporate transfers and private citizens.

lt's a start.

And what's wrong now?

l can't use the Firm's computers.

The committee would find out what l'm up to and want to take over the operation.

Maybe that's not such a bad idea.

No, for two reasons.

ln the past, Maurice has always been able to catch on to our operations.

l think he has a tap inside the Firm.

You said two reasons.

l want him personally.

Besides, l've thought of another way to get the information.

A little risky, perhaps, but l'm sure it will work.

You know, you blow this, the committee is gonna bust your butt.

There's not much use for eX

-deputy directors on the street these days.

Well, l can always buy an ice

-cream truck with one headlight.

[cars honking]

Here's the final schedule.

l've done it all, sweetheart.

l've sh*t film in every part of this world, under every possible condition.

did you direct any of the famous stars?

All of them, at one time or another.

Like who?

Flynn.

Wayne.

Fonda.

[both laugh]

All of them.

That's wonderful.

Who's in the picture you're making now?

Unknowns.

l'm creating new ones.

lnto stars?

[laughing]

lnto millionaires.

[both laughing]

Oh, you're just fabulous, Mr.

Sayes.

Hey, hey.

Call me Simon.

[chuckles]

Tell me some more about the picture you're making now.

(Archangel) Tons of it.

The treasury department transfers it every year at this time from regional depositories to Fort KnoX.

By train?

Train, plane, truck, whatever.

lt's low

-profile versus show

-of

-force.

different type of security, but it works.

Government's been using it for years.

They've got it down to an effective system.

Obviously, so does Maurice.

(Archangel) l told you he was good.

There are siX train shipments scheduled out in the neXt four days that touch on that you specified, Mr.

Hawke.

Now Sayes dropped the name Stoner, we're checking him out.

lf he works on one of those runs or is a dispatcher, he's their inside man.

lt might tell us which train Maurice is planning to hit.

They're all possibilities, Mr.

Hawke.

l mean, that is, unless you possess some sort of ESP.

No.

l possess a 4:00 a.

m.

call.

That's the only gold train out of Bakersfield.

l'll arrange for air surveillance and a strike force.

No.

Every time l've set a trap for Maurice, he's managed to slip it.

l have to limit knowledge of this operation to the people in this room, at least until he hits the train.

We'll fly cover.

No offense.

l've got someone else in mind.

Who?

(Hawke) You're up late.

That's what it takes to run a business.

What's wrong with it?

Anything over 1 20 knots, she starts to vibrate like a Hotel Street chippie.

Hotel Street?

Honolulu.

Where l once flew combat with your father.

ln World w*r ll, remember?

Yeah, l remember.

What do you want?

l want to talk, not duck punches.

Are you gonna listen?

To what, a list of old age homes?

l need your help.

To gas your chopper, wash your windows?

To back me up on this job.

l'm not gonna follow you around with a fuel truck either.

How about an Airwolf?

(Sayes) All set?

Yeah.

As soon as your little army here unloads their weapons.

They're blanks.

lf one goes off, it'll still start a fire.

They got 'em on safety.

Good.

Unload 'em.

[g*ns unloading]

[eagle screeching]

Oh, thanks.

We could fly cover, too, sir.

Hawke wouldn't know until it was over.

No.

He risked losing his only friend to do this job for me.

l've got to let him play it out on his terms.

l thought you and Hawke were friends.

Hawke and l?

[chuckles]

No, we just use each other.

l wouldn't call us friends.

No, sir.

[chuckles]

Is that the track our train's on?

[laughing]

Yeah, that's it.

[wind blowing]

Okay, baby.

lt's just you and me.

[beeping]

[engine starting]

[engine accelerating]

There's a train about 10 miles down there.

Is that the one?

[laughing]

That's the one.

Where's the camera ship?

[laughing]

''Where's the camera ship?

'' What's so funny?

[Sayes continues laughing]

Mr.

Sayes has a very juvenile sense of humor, Mr.

Hawke.

Drop down 50 feet and fly a heading of 180.

Now, Mr.

Hawke.

(Archangel) Dominic, do you read me?

Loud and clear.

You didn't report on station.

I'm sorry.

I didn't know I was still in the m*llitary.

Do you have them in sight?

Negative.

But I got the train spotted.

They should be there by now.

Well, they're not.

Are you sure it's the right train?

did he really call you that?

There it is.

Right on time.

(Sayes) That's your target, Mr.

Hawke.

(Hawke) If he slows down or speeds up, we'll all be dead.

Then let's hope he doesn't.

(Stoner) Express One, this is Stoner.

You still on schedule?

That's a 10

-4.

Just entered the Mojave straightaway.

(Stoner) l wasn't sure.

Our speedometer here shows you're down to 42.

You know your alarm goes off at 40 miles an hour.

(driver) Something's wrong.

My speedometer is reading 55.

Probably needs recalibration.

l'll tell you what.

Why don't you nail it to 60 for the neXt couple of minutes and hold it steady?

That's a 10

-4.

Okay, boys.

They've got to be there.

(Dominic) Well, come up here and see for yourself.

Sir, Stoner isn't with any railroad.

Meryl, we've got a slightly larger problem than locating Maurice's inside man.

But, sir, he is a dispatcher with Hi

-desert Trucking.

They ship gold for the government, too.

I got her, Mr.

Maurice.

Then we no longer need you, Mr.

Hawke.

[f*ring]

He's got to be dead.

don't worry.

l can fly her off of here.

l'm bettin' our lives on that, Vinnie.

(Archangel) You've got to get there faster.

I'm flying her as fast as I can.

What's your air speed, dominic?

(Dominic) He's not using the turbo thrusters.

He can't, he'd never be able to control Airwolf.

Oh, what the hell, you only live once.

Well, you sure took your sweet time getting here.

Sweet time?

Ha.

You're lucky I got here at all.

You were supposed to be robbin' a railroad, remember?

If Archangel hadn't found out about some guy named Stoner working for Hi

-Desert Trucking Company, I'd still be followin' a train to Bakersfield.

Hey, Dom.

Yeah?

Nice landing.

Hmm.

Give me full power, both turbos.

We got some catching up to do.

[beeping]

You got it.

(Vinnie) That's it, Mr.

Maurice.

We can't lift off with any more.

Vinnie, how much do Sayes and Miller weigh?

About 8 to 10 bars.

Let's make it 10.

I got a blip 5 miles ahead.

Just a few more minutes, guys and you can pull over to the side of the road of the road and throw up if you want to.

[laughing]

Hey! Hey, you can't leave me here! [screaming]

I believe Mr.

Sayes had an accident, Vinnie.

[laughing]

[beeping]

Aren't you gonna notify the authorities, Mr.

Stoner?

Two minutes ahead of schedule.

Very nice.

Very nice, indeed.

What the hell was that?

You want chain g*ns?

No.

Vinnie! [f*ring]

He's crazy! He's going to k*ll us.

Do something.

Sure, I will.

I've had enough.

Give me the chain g*ns.

Now.

Hawke, you can't.

Chain g*ns.

You got it.

Come on! String, don't do it.

No! Please don't! That's enough! Michael, I've got Maurice and a friend, packaged and ready for you.

(Archangel) Good job.

Shall I pick 'em up, or will you bring 'em in?

We only gift

-wrap.

We don't deliver.

What's the rush?

Too much for you?

Supposed to be eXercise.

We already had the w*r.

Come on, come on, this old man ain't done yet.

did l ever call you that?

No, but you made me feel like it.

Now, dom, you made yourself feel like that.

Uh?

What, are you quittin' on me?

Maybe.

And maybe not.

[laughing]

You know, dominic, you've always been younger than me.