CHAPTER 1

Dotted white lines and asphalt raced by in a blur as the black motorcycle continued to gain speed in the increasingly heavy traffic. Well over the speed limit, already, she couldn't afford to be late again.

Switching lanes, the motorcycle slid between two slower moving vehicles and around what was left of a burst tire. Police sirens rang out again in the distance letting her know she hadn't lost them yet. That one she could undoubtedly thank the low circling helicopter overhead for. Right now she didn't have the time to spare, an explosion a hundred miles back and another one looming in the near future seventy five miles away, keeping her busy enough.

Dark clouds above threatened to delay her further, but she pressed on, trying to avoid the already slippery oily spots from the previous showers in the morning.

Gaining on the car in front of her, she prepared to change lanes, casting a brief glance to her left. Although brief, her lack of attention to the vehicle ahead was too long. The car hit a slick spot and slammed on the brakes trying to regain control. With no time to react, the motorcycle rearended the vehicle, sending the rider hurtling into the air, hitting the car and rolling down and into the pathway of the oncoming traffic.

\A/

"String, did you see this? I mean, what are the odds that someone would actually catch that on film? I've seen movie cameramen do worse when they knew what was coming. Please tell me you saw that."

"No, Saint John," String replied. "I was attempting to take my hand off while fixing the Jet Ranger, unlike you who gets distracted by the TV every five minutes."

"Sorry," Saint John answered sheepishly, still watching the screen as he moved toward the back of the hangar where he had been unpacking a shipment of replacement camera mount parts.

"I'd like to have a bike like that, but then you see something like that on the news, and... with my luck I'd get in a wreck like that."

"If it's as bad as you're making it sound, there's only one positive thing about it."

"What's that?"

"No pain or lengthy hospital stays. It'd be unlike the driver would survive."

"And here I was thinking you actually saw the positive in it." Saint John pried open the large crate and started unpacking the contents before turning back to his conversation with his younger brother.

"I was thinking maybe we should head back to the cabin soon before the storm gets any closer."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I figured it would be easier to land on the dock if you could actually see what you were doing."

"I was actually thinking you could fly us out there tonight."

"String, don't."

"It just doesn't make sense to work at an air charter service and be scared of helicopters."

"I'm not scared of helicopters," Saint John retorted.

"Alright, not the helicopters themselves, just flying."

"Cut me some slack. I've had more than my fair share of bad landings."

"If you're so scared you're going to crash though, why work with them everyday and travel to and from the cabin?"

"I'm not flying. It's more my ability I don't trust anymore."

"Sinj, how many of those crashes were you actually flying before?"

"I don't know, probably not the majority of them. Don't try to rationalize it with me. I know it doesn't make any sense, that's just the way it is."

"I just know you used to be one of the best pilots I know and I don't want you to waste that talent."

"Thanks, String, but if it's all the same, I'd like to let you handle the flying right now. Maybe I'll try it again if I can forget the last fifteen years of my life."

\A/

"Dinner was good," Le complimented, leaving his plate in the sink and disappearing upstairs.

"It was," String agreed.

Saint john didn't look quite so convinced.

"You sure you aren't just trying to butter me up for another wasting your talents speech?"

"I haven't said anything about that," Hawke retorted.

"Yet."

"Well if you're going to bring it up anyway, I was thinking it couldn't hurt anything to try. I'd be right there with you if you had any problems, and I don't think you'd need me anyway."

"You won't take no for an answer will you?"

"Not if I can help it. Dom would appreciate having another pilot around too."

"Don't even try that one. You were the one who ran Caitlin off, not me."

"She came back, but I'd rather not go there anyway."

"How about a deal?" Saint John offered.

"Okay, what's the deal?"

"I'll try the flying thing again, but you have to tell me the truth about what's going on between you and Caitlin and Lexa."