02x20 - Severance Pay

[bunniefuu]

The Russians know Airwolf wasn't destroyed.

(Stringfellow) You guys better
watch yourselves.

I don't want them getting
either you or that ship.

There is a double agent in the Firm.

He's been declared a Mad Dog.

Hang on!

[alarm blaring] We got a compressor stall.

[helicopter approaching]

[translating] “Comrade Qaddafi
claimed the secret helicopter was”

“destroyed”

“by his air defenses
while attempting to escape”

“to an American carrier in the Mediterranean.”

“Although our trailing submarines determined”

“that no rendezvous with the carrier occurred,”

“we cannot definitely conclude
the helicopter was destroyed,”

“since Comrade Qaddafi produced”

“no physical evidence despite our requests.”

“January , .”

[singing] Which nobody can deny

[laughing]

For they are jolly good fellows

For they are jolly good fellows

For they are jolly good fellows

Which nobody can deny

Which nobody can deny
Which nobody can deny

For we are jolly good fellows
For we are jolly good fellows

For we are jolly good fellows

Which nobody can deny

(man) Hey Larry, congratulations, pal!

Thanks, guys.

(man) What do you think about this?

{whooping]

Larry, the g*ng wants to say goodbye.

Joe, the Russians know too soon, too quick.

They know what Airwolf does
as soon as it does it.

They may even know about Hawke.

Larry, we're retiring today.

They pay till : , they get till : .

(woman) How's your heart, Mr. Klein?

[Joe exhaling] Blood pressure pills?

Cheap Champagne?

Not so cheap. They like us.

Come on, join the party.

All right, just let me finish this up.

[sighs]

(woman) Joe, Joe, can we take this…

(woman) Yeah, come on, let's go!

(Larry) [translating]
“Although its mission was to”

“sterilize the island,”

“the helicopter used weapons systems”

“known to exist on the secret machine”

“Comrade Qaddafi reported destroyed.”

“The machine appears, however,”

“to be in the possession of”

“a civilian or non-m*llitary organization.”

“September , ‘ "

I'll be a son of a g*n.

[elevator dinging]

Mr. Barnes?

Mason? I thought you all had retired.

Not yet. Tonight's my last night.

Well, good luck. You deserve it.

Um, do you have a minute?

Is it important?

Well, it's that Airwolf business.

Oh, I thought you'd finished with that.

No. It's all there, Mr. Barnes.

I know I didn't give you enough the last time,

but now we have the proof.

Look at these reports. See the dates?

Well, I'll be.

There'll be a commendation
in your file for this.

I'm retiring, remember?

That's our loss.

We could use more like
you, Larry. I mean that.

- Thank you, sir.
- Good night.

Night.

Dom, where's the percolator?

The what?

Thing looks like a coffee pot, you know?

Oh, on the desk.

Only be careful when you pick…

I fixed up the infrared scanner on Airwolf.

You fixed a $ million,
top secret, advanced army,

sensitive scanning device with
parts from a percolator, huh?

All I needed was a little hook.

You told me it was gonna cost the Firm $ , .

Hey, that's why those big guys go broke.

(Larry) He's absolutely right, you know.

Larry, how you been?

Larry Mason, remember he
used to work for the Firm?

[exclaims]

You're the guy who gets all those
little bits and pieces of this and that

from all around the world,

and then puts them all together and
comes up with that important stuff.

Past tense as of last night.

I'm a gulf-front property owner in Mexico.

Ta-da!

Actually, it's only a coffee
counter and a couple of rowboats,

but it's all ours, Joe's and mine.

Hey, we're having dinner at the Pub tonight,

Joe and his wife. Maybe you
could come along, both of you.

They're great people. I'll show
you pictures of the place.

Hey Hawke, do you have a minute?

Oh, I can leave.

Listen, if it's about business, Dom can hear.

Have…

have you ever had this place swept?

For bugs, I mean?

Well, what's so secret about
the fact that I'm in hock?

[laughing] Good.

[clears throat]

[pop music playing on radio]

Guys.

The Russians know Airwolf wasn't destroyed.

Question: How do they know?

Maybe the same way that you pick up stuff.

No, no, no, no, no. I…

I intercept messages from embassies,

from agents. Theirs, not ours.

I pick up threads. I pick up hints.

It takes me months, sometimes years.

They do it in days.

Sometimes hours. They know exactly
what you've done with Airwolf.

They try to cover it.

They make it look like
it's gathered intelligence.

But the time of discovery
is too close to the event.

Moles, huh?

Oh, brother!

Then he has to be in the Firm.

Not just in, near the top.

Maybe even on the Committee.

The British had one, the French did.

You told this to the Committee?

Too risky, I told Security.

You guys better watch yourselves.

I mean, I don't want them getting
either you or that ship.

Hey, I gotta hustle.

Hey Larry, just a second.

I'm late for a meeting
at Records and Grievances.

Listen, I'll talk to you at dinner tonight.

: , the Pub, okay?

Okay.

(Joe) Just cut that damn check.

(Clerk) It's not that simple.

Don't you understand?

If we don't bring the checks to
their lawyers by : today,

we blow the deal.

Apparently, the computer is
still rejecting your request.

I'm telling you, we've been
planning this for years.

Joe, come on. We'll get it done. Right?

I can't take this, the humiliation.

After all this time, we're begging.

[exclaiming] I can't take this.

My pills.

Can't you do something?

[sighs]

The problem is, temporary employees
are not due retirement bonuses.

We're not temporary! You
call years temporary?

The computer… is wrong!

Joe, sit down. You don't look well.

That's it! That's it!

No more excuses. I want my
retirement bonus check now!

In black and white. Here. This minute.

Not tomorrow. Not next week.

No stalls. No delays. No more! Give it!

[gulping]

Call a Doctor. Call a Doctor!

Joe? Joe. Joe. Joey! Joey!

(clerk) It's an emergency.

Send the paramedics.

(Larry) Joe! Come on, Joey! Come on, Joey!

Come on, Joe! Joey! Come on, Joe!

- Come on! Come on, Joe!
- Mr. Klein, he's dead.

He's Klein and I'm Mason!

Don't you even know who we are?

Come on, Joe! Joe, come on!

I can't do it all alone.
I can't run it alone. Joe!

Mr. Mason…

Joey, come on! Oh, Joe, come on!

Get up, Joey!

[sobbing] Joe!

[Larry sobbing on tape recorder]

[door squeaking shut]

Wait’ll you see this one, Joe.

[phone ringing]

[alarm blaring]

[siren wailing]

(Stringfellow) I don't believe it.

Larry Mason sings the Star-Spangled Banner

every morning before breakfast.

Hawke, he phoned hours ago.

He said he was responsible
for last night's expl*si*n.

He wanted to talk to Archangel.

I stalled. I said he wasn't here.

He said he'd call back at noon
and he wanted you present.

He wouldn't do anything crazy
like that unless he had a reason.

(Marella) He's got a reason,
or at least he thinks he does.

His partner d*ed of a heart att*ck

while trying to make a
retirement claim at that office.

[knocking on door] Great.

[door closing]

What's he doing here?

Larry Mason wants him here.

(Barnes) What's your tie-in with Mason, Hawke?

We're friends.

[phone ringing]

His profile said he was prompt.

Mason?

This is Larry Mason.

Mason, I'm gonna put you on a speaker.

(Larry) I don't care what you do, just listen.

Is Hawke there?

Yeah Larry, this is Hawke.

[beeping] I hate to drag you into this, kid,

but I think you'll convince them I'm serious.

- I'll sure do my best.
- Okay.

Take this down.

[clicks]

To the Firm.

The matter of the status of
Agents Klein and Mason

is brought to your attention
for the nd and last time

since .

To cut and process their
retirement bonus checks,

and forthwith.

Larry, I gotta tell you, they're
trying to trace your call.

[beeping] Don't sweat it. I got it covered.

As I was saying,

if these grievances are not resolved

and a check not sent to Mrs.
Joseph Klein in the next hours,

I will make certain classified
data available to the press

every day until you comply.

Larry, this is Marella.

How did you get your hands
on our new tracking scrambler?

Didn't I find these plans

in an old file that was rejected
by Development a few years ago.

It cost me $ to make.

What did you pay?

Mason, Arthur Barnes.

I promise you that I will personally
look into your and Klein's grievances.

Just come in, we can talk.

I can, but he can't.

Pay what you owe!

Pay the man his money.

It's not that simple.

Why?

Take it easy, Hawke. Mason and Klein
signed on as temporary personnel to OSI,

but they didn't change their
status when the Firm absorbed OSI.

(Barnes) Personnel can't just reclassify them.

That would set a precedent that could
open The Firm to thousands of claims.

To compound the problem that
temps don't get a pension,

they also don't get a medical,

which means they owe the Firm for
health services they obtained.

It was deducted from their last checks.

I don't believe this.

Hawke, obviously he has a grievance,
and we can rectify it, in time.

Although his reaction was a
little strong, to say the least.

The man's friend d*ed trying
to get back what he earned.

I sympathize.

But in addition to his act
of terrorism last night,

I just heard him thr*aten to
release classified information.

We can't allow that.

Pay him the money.

(Michael) We will,

but Barnes is right, it'll take a little time.

Then give me a little time.

I'll bring him in.

That is not our prerogative.

Then you take it to the Committee.

[door buzzes]

[sighs]

[sighs]

I would like to allow Hawke
time to bring Mason in.

I agree with that recommendation,

except the Committee should recognize

that once Stringfellow Hawke is involved,

it could provoke interest from other
quarters, especially if he uses Airwolf.

Well, I don't see any necessity
for that, do you Hawke?

No.

(Zeus) We can't have the other
side becoming interested in this.

I understand that, sir.

Very well. We'll give you
hours. After that…

Thank you, sir.

[keyboard clacking]

[beeping]

(man) Okay, burn it in here, burn one in here.

(woman ) I got it, I got it.
Throw it, throw it.

- (woman ) All right.
- (woman ) I made some lunch. Anybody hungry?

(woman ) Good!

(woman ) All right, here.
I'll keep a couple Cokes?

(man) Okay, let her rip!

You know, Larry, you just can't go
around blowing up government buildings,

no matter how justified you feel.

I did that in the heat of the
moment. I won't do it again.

I don't have to.

I know where all the bodies
are buried. Literally.

I can make it very embarrassing for the Firm.

[sighing] Well, that's another
thing you can't do, Larry.

Give away Firm secrets.

Oh, nothing important. Just embarrassing stuff.

I pulled what I need out of
the Firm computer last night.

How in the hell did you do that?

Do I ask you how you fly a helicopter?

Hey Hawke, I'm flat broke.

That retirement bonus is all I
have. It's all Joe's wife has.

And if I have to embarrass
a few people to get it,

so be it.

[sighs]

Okay.

But before you do anything,
will you talk with Archangel?

One on one?

He'll fix it, I promise.

He's waiting on us right now.

[sighs]

Okay.

It's got pretty good pick up
for an old van like this.

It's my one luxury.

It has a custom double overhead cam engine.

I found the plans in a Swedish hot
rod magazine a couple of years ago.

You know Hawke, they ought to
fire all those hi-tech engineers

and let the kids design the secret weapons.

What's wrong?

That's Henderson back there, Barnes' aide.

(Stringfellow) Barnes' aide?

Oh, I'm sure you're surprised.

Hey Larry, I swear. The
Committee gave me hours.

[tires squealing]

You're going in circles.

So are they.

What are you doing?

It's called preparation.

The police shift should be
changing about right now.

[siren wailing]

[woman chattering on Police radio]

(Stringfellow) Where'd you learn that one?

(Larry) In a spy novel.

[Stringfellow scoffs]

Get out.

Larry, I swear I didn't set you up.

I don't know what you did, but I have to think.

So get out.

(male radio announcer) The temperature
is degrees,

clear skies, a perfect day for baseball.

Now, this game could determine the Coast
Conference Southern Division Championship.

[people chattering]

Left-hander Jay Moss of the
Knights looking for his th win.

It should be an exciting pitching duel,

because his opposing pitcher, Teddy Sebastian,

has had a brilliant season for the Tiger-Cats.

The Knights are leading the Division by a game.

The Tiger-Cats have to win to force a playoff.

You talk about pressure.

This game to determine
whether it's the Knights

or the Tiger-Cats to extend their season.

Get me the night editor.

[male announcer chattering on radio]

George.

We just got our Emmy story.

You were to stay out of it!

Henderson was acting on his own. I
won't know why until I find him.

Larry Mason was putting together
Airwolf reports from the other side.

That can only lead to one conclusion.

There is a double agent in the Firm.

Why didn't you report that to the Committee?

Because the mole could be on the Committee.

And you think it's Henderson?

I didn't say that.

No, but that is what you're thinking.

I think you better take a look at this.

[clicking]

[beeps]

(Morgan on TV) This alleged particular group

of Latin freedom fighters in the Miami area

was supplied with the latest in hand
weapons, expl*sives, and bulletproof vests.

And they proceeded to use the equipment
against banks in the southeast,

until they were finally stopped by a
special team acting outside the Firm.

Stay tuned. My informant promises
more and better bulletins.

[sighs]

Well, he did say he knew where the bodies were.

The Committee is not gonna like this.

[scoffs] Oh, come on. That was nothing.

Tell that to the Senate when
we go up for appropriations.

I have to find him.

Well, I've still got hours to bring him in.

, to be exact.

I'd rather hear him say that.

No, this is getting out of hand.

I have a responsibility and so do you, Michael.

We can't let this continue
without taking action.

What kind of action?

That's up to the Committee to decide.

Michael.

He's right, Hawke. It is getting out of hand.

Whatever his grievance, he's gone too far.

[door buzzes]

If it'll make you feel better, hit it.

Better?

Yeah, a lot better. I think I broke my knuckle.

Look, the only thing you can do is
wait for Larry to contact you again.

You know, he thinks I set him up.

He knows better.

Just give him a little time to realize it.
He'll call, and you'll bring him in.

Will you tell me what action
the Committee takes?

Hawke, I could lose my job.

Mmm-hmm?

[sighs]

Well, if it'll keep you from
busting any more knuckles.

Thanks, Marella. I'll be at the hangar.

Yeah, I see what you mean. And it
couldn't have started by itself.

I'm sorry, Dom.

You could have lost everything.

Uh-huh, including you.

[phone ringing]

That must be Larry.

Larry?

Oh, Hawke. He's gone too far.

Marella?

Turn on Channel . It's all over the news.

I don't know what you are talking about.

Larry Mason.

He released a story that got
some of our people k*lled.

(Morgan) Operating behind the
Iron Curtain. Our consulate

[clicks TV on]

has confirmed the official police findings,

but refuses to comment on allegations

regarding the victims
supposedly being US spies.

The bodies have been identified as that of

the Romanian Embassy chauffeur Anton Ramuczec

and Irene Nakovsky.

Evidently, the story,
as presented to us yesterday

by an unknown source in the United States,

was designed to expose these agents.

Something this reporter could
not have known at the time.

It looks as though someone deep inside
the international intelligence community

has a great big a* to grind.

Sources in New York confirm
that Communist leader…

[phone ringing]

Santini Air.

Hawke, I didn't put the finger
on those agents. I couldn't.

Well Larry, I believe you.

But don't you see, by staying out,

that you're playing more into
the hands of whoever's doing it.

Hawke, I'm scared.

Then come in.

Well, that's easy to say.

- Larry…
- Look, I trust you Hawke,

but I need some assurances
from the Committee.

Give me a couple of hours, till : .

Okay, you can reach me at…

Don't say it. Look, think
of a place we know about.

You can contact me when
we know it's not bugged.

Um, how about that place we were gonna
have dinner at the other night?

Okay.

[woman chattering over PA system]

Gentlemen, you all have read
Security's report on Larry Mason,

the former reader.

Recent disclosures indicate

that we should declare him a Mad Dog.

All you can actually accuse him
of so far is bad judgment.

Isn't he responsible for
that disaster in Europe?

That hasn't been proven yet, sir.

Gentlemen, this is becoming
wearisome for all of us.

How many more dead before
we take action to stop him?

All in favor of terminating Lawrence Mason…

We must not terminate this
man until we question him.

signify in the usual manner.

(Zeus) Against?

[typewriter clacking]

[people chattering]

Excuse me.

I'm Stringfellow Hawke. I wanted to
ask some questions about Larry Mason.

I told you “No” on the phone.

Miss Morgan, American agents are dying

because of your broadcast.

You hold it. Don't you lay
that kind of pressure on me.

I had no idea when I broadcast
those items that people would die.

I'm sorry that they did.

But what I have and where I get
it is privileged information.

Look, Mason swears he didn't
tip you to that last bulletin.

All I need is a way to prove
that he's telling the truth.

I don't know what I can do to help you.

Could you give me the transcripts
that he sent you over the computer?

Why not? They're no longer privileged.

Thank you.

If it's good, do I get the story?

Why not?

That bad?

It's even worse than we first thought.

At least a dozen of our top
people have been eliminated.

(Marella) I knew some of them.

Nick, the chauffeur at the Embassy.

He used to put on all these funny hats.

We called him Nicko the Clown.

And Irene, his Control,
she was expecting a baby.

We were bringing her home this spring.

It's not Larry's fault.

It's over, Hawke. He's been declared a Mad Dog.

You can't do that.

He was hurt, he reacted.

But he did not send in the story that's
responsible for k*lling those agents.

Who invited him?

I did.

You know, I trusted you.

I trust Marella.

But no one else is to be
involved until Larry comes in.

It isn't Michael's fault, Hawke.

The Committee tied his hands.

Hawke, Larry's time is running out.

This is the only way we could go about it.

(Michael) What's that?

These are Carling Morgan's
bulletins from Larry Mason.

We've already questioned her.
She couldn't tell us anything.

Well, that's the information
she got from Larry.

This is the one that got your agents k*lled.

He didn't send them, somebody else did.

How do you know that?

Well, look at it closely.

We all thought Larry was a reader,
but he was also a writer.

He wrote a report on everything he read.

Now, writers develop a style.

The words are the same, but the way they
put them together is entirely different.

The same way that a musician

doesn't play the same song
the same way as another.

Mr. Barnes, you…

You were the one that Larry reported to.

You read all his reports.

Look at the last page.

You see there's a very large difference.

He's right, the styles are very different.

I was of the opinion that Larry Mason was,

at the very least, a fool.

It appears he may have been
an innocent dupe, as well.

Mr. Hawke?

- Hello?
- Hawke, it's Larry.

Larry?

Archangel's here to speak with you.

Mason, we want to bring you in safely.

Where are you?

I'm in Mexico, Tampico.

He's in Mexico, Tampico.

There's an old airstrip
miles north of there.

Los Hermanos.

There's an old airstrip at Los Hermanos.
Can you get to it?

I'll find it.

Are you sure?

I read about it once.

I'll pick him up.

It would look better to the Committee
if he turned himself in to Archangel.

Don't worry, Hawke. We'll bring him home.

Excuse me.

Mr. Barnes,

can I buy you a drink?

I thought you didn't like me?

I don't.

But anybody big enough to admit they're wrong.

Why not?

I'll have a Scotch.

Where's the john?

[sighs]

(man) Hello?

It's Barnes.

Archangel is picking Mason
up at a small airstrip

in Los Hermanos, Mexico, just north of Tampico.

I would estimate hours.

Do we have a capability in that area?

We may have a pilot whose
services are for hire.

Is he any good?

By all accounts, yes.

For all our sakes, he better be.

Hey, come on, relax a little, will you?

Larry's on his way home,
and in good hands, too.

Dom, there's still something wrong.

I don't know what it is,
but I've got a feeling.

Oh, you proved your point
with those news reports.

Take a little credit, man.
Take a little credit.

[laughing]

[ringing]

[male announcer chattering on TV]

Hello?

Hello, Miss Morgan?

I was wondering… this is Stringfellow Hawke…

Yes, Mr. Hawke.

if you might have something
further that you hadn't told me?

No, only those.

Did it help?

Oh, it all helped very much.

I'm very grateful.

I just wondered if there was
any further reports, or…

Well, I gave you everything I have.

[sighs] Okay, thank you. I'm
sorry to have bothered you.

Oh Hawke, wait a minute.

There was one thing, we changed a word.

- What was that?
- On the broadcast,

we said that the radio was
hidden behind the wardrobe.

The original said "chifforobe",
but nobody knew what that meant.

"Chifforobe"?

I don't know what it is, either.

Well, it's a Southern word
and it means wardrobe.

Thank you.

Hey, Dom!

(Larry) I'm sorry about what happened.

We know that.

I didn't release that story
that got those people k*lled.

You know, I might have a
grievance, but I'm not a traitor.

We know that, too.

(Larry) Who do you think released it?

That we don't know. But we'll find out.

Was it Henderson?

There'd be no reason for him to do it.

Once he exposed himself by going after you,

he'd have no need to release
information through the press.

Well, if it wasn't Henderson, you
have another mole in the Firm.

(Stringfellow) Get anything?

No, too far to reach them on the radio.

What about long range radar?

I got a DC- heading for Mexico City.

A couple of private jobs
on the coast, but no Lear.

(Stringfellow) No jets out of Nicaragua?

(Dominic) Not yet.

I figure that's how Barnes
will have to bring him down.

Well, maybe he's gonna wait until they land
at Langley, try to knock him off there.

Nah, no way!

They'd have to do it over Mexico or the Gulf.

Hey, hey, I got ‘em!

There's a Lear climbing out over Mandezo.

- Any MIGs?
- Nope.

Just that DC- .

Hey, wait a minute. I got somethin' else.

That's not a MIG. It's not even a jet.

Hang on!

[alarm blaring]

What the hell?

We had to bank so hard to avoid that fool,

we got a compressor stall.

Are we gonna crash?

Not if I can help it.

An unmarked plane, mm cannons in the wings,

. rockets in the belly.

Well, that's encouraging.

It's a P- , we can outrun it.

Not with one engine.

I wonder why he hasn't sh*t us down already.

Oh, you're just one bundle of optimism.

He's trying to make it look like an accident.

You're pulling away from him now.

Now, he'll sh**t us down.

Are we absolutely certain there's no hope?

(Zeus) They're hours overdue.

Air Rescue found some wreckage
along their route over the Gulf.

I feel responsible.

Nonsense. You found Henderson, terminated him.

But too late to save
Archangel, Marella, Mason.

You can have my resignation.

Perhaps after you explain
why a mercenary pilot

in the employ of the Soviet Mission to Mexico

tried to sh**t Archangel down.

Who said that?

The pilot,

after he bailed out and we picked him up.

Well gentlemen, what can I say?

It's been a long run for
someone in my position.

I shall patiently await
the next prisoner exchange.

We don't exchange what we terminate.

[chuckling] I can't believe
I'm gonna ride in her.

Straight back to Mexico.

The Committee made an exception.

The Committee? Ha! We didn't
give ‘em any choice!

What about Joe's wife?

(Marella) It's done.

She gets his benefits and you get yours.

The Committee also hinted they'd like you back

as a Senior Advisor in the Reader Section.

That's very nice of the Committee,

but maybe I'll just go ahead with the marina.

Joe might be disappointed if I didn't.

You're turning us down?

No, no, no, I didn't say that.

More like…

I'll let you know.

Mach , Dom?

, feet?

The fellow has gall.

And don't you forget it,

or I'll have to tell the press
about a little story that he…

told on you to me.

Me? What story?

[engine humming]

What's he talking about?

I wouldn't know, sir.