Original subtitles

Starring William Conrad, with guest stars Martin Sheen,

Joyce Van Patten, Percy Rodriguez,

and special guest star Gerald S. O 'Loughlin.

Tonight's episode, A Flight of Hawks.

Sure was a total, wasn't it?

Smashed and burned.

What about the driver?

We have pictures.

He was... Smashed and burned, yeah.

How much was he insured for?

$100 ,000.

Beneficiaries, wife and child.

You gonna pay him?

No.

We allege suicide.

Policy was less than a year old.

There are no death benefits in the event of suicide.

So what you want me to do is to prove that he killed himself so that we can

Wes more insurance, $100 ,000.

We'll pay any legitimate claim, Cannon.

But this man, Pete Macklin, he was a drifter, an ex -fighter pilot, still

playing an adventurer, taking odd jobs, making a bare living.

Couldn't support his wife and child.

They needed money.

We think Macklin took this way to get it.

What happens if I prove it was an accident?

I'll give you a check as okayed at once.

That's fair enough.

I suppose I should talk to his widow to start off with. I see.

Catherine Macklin.

Hello. Hello, Frank.

I'm Kate Macklin.

No, you're not.

You're Kate Warner.

You made my life hell for two weeks. Come in, Kate. How are you?

You more than repaid the favor, you know.

A tough cop with a bullet wound. You were probably the worst patient that I

had. Oh, I hate to get shot in the stomach.

Well, it looks like you've recovered.

You look fine.

So do you. Oh, it's good to see you.

Is it, Frank?

My name is Macklin now.

My husband, Pete, is dead, and your company is trying to cheat me out of a

of money.

Uh -huh.

Come on, sit down.

Come on.

You know, Kate... Westmore Insurance doesn't own me.

They've just hired me to dig into the truth.

Will you help me?

All right, there's so many things I've got to find out.

First of all, what was your husband doing up in Northern California and you

sitting waiting down here?

We loved each other, but we didn't always get along.

I mean, we had our problems.

Especially after Pete Jr., our son, after he got sick.

He has a kidney infection that could be fatal, but it is treatable on a dialysis

machine.

And it can be... No, it will be cured.

But it costs money. See, it costs a lot of money.

Yes, I know.

Anyway, Pete said that he would get the money.

He just walked out.

Heading where?

I don't know.

Anyway, after six weeks, he came back with some wild story about a big

something very rich and mysterious and risky.

Well, I didn't believe him.

But then, then he showed me this.

Here.

Yeah, it's $100 ,000 worth of insurance, I know.

It's paid up for one year.

$2 ,800.

And I don't know where he got it.

Would you like a brandy?

Please.

All I know is he brought me that, and he kissed me goodbye, and he went away to

wherever it was he was going, and he got killed.

Oh, Frank.

Do you want to know something?

Terrible.

When I found out, the first thing that I thought about was, at least my son will

have the money that he needs.

Except the insurance company won't pay.

Suicide. That's absolutely ridiculous.

Pete would never kill himself.

You think it was an accident?

Yes. Well, maybe I can prove that.

Oh, Frank, if you could.

Will you please help me?

I'll help you.

But only as far as the truth takes me.

Of course.

Here, I have some... I've got this letter from Pete.

He was working at a small private airfield here.

Bittner's Flying School.

Bittner's Flying School is located here, just north of Butte City.

We're about here now, so we should be there in a couple of hours.

You know, I may have to stay for a couple of days.

Well, the one thing I can spare is time.

I thought you were a very busy flying instructor.

Look, Frank, maybe I can't be a cop anymore with this length, but I'm still

trained investigator.

And we worked together before, so you know I can cut... Terry, keep your eyes

the road.

Oh, come on.

Well, what do you say?

Well, I could use an inconspicuous somebody who's a very careful listener.

Thank you.

Now, what am I listening for?

Anything and everything about the life and death of a man named... Pete

Yeah, he used to work for me.

He's a pretty fair mechanic.

I tried him out as an instructor, but it just didn't work out.

Why? Pete was a good pilot, wasn't he?

Look, he was a buddy of yours. I don't want to knock him.

But he was still flying fighter planes.

He was impatient.

You know, I got a couple of old World War II planes for sale.

Well, Pete used to waste his time with them. He was always dreaming, playing

games.

Maybe he was dreaming when he ran off the road and killed himself.

Hi. I noticed your friend. I thought I recognized him from Yuba City.

No, we're from L .A.

We're up here trying to find out about a friend of his that got killed recently.

Pete Macklin?

Yeah, you knew him? Some.

Well, that's very interesting.

My name's Jerry Wharton.

Cody Woodman. Glad to know you.

Yeah, I knew Pete.

Nice fella.

Drank too much, though.

Is that right?

Yeah. Well, he never drank when he was flying, did he?

And I like Pete, too.

But you add him up, and he's unreliable.

And the way he used to handle that car of his.

To tell the truth, it was no surprise when I heard about the accident.

I understand he ran into a rock slide.

Yeah, but he was going 90 when he hit it.

Yeah.

Well, I guess that about does it.

Better get back to my business.

You know any place around here I can rent a car?

Sure, I could, sir.

Go on, follow me.

Oh, I better find out how long we're gonna be here. Nice talking to you.

Hey, Frank!

Right up!

Listen, this guy was just telling me that Macklin was really boozing it up at

place called the Covered Wagon Bar in Briarland just before he ran his car off

the cliff.

Hmm.

The bidder said he was a romantic and unreliable.

And a lush.

It all fits, Frank.

You know, you can get some bad bruises jumping at conclusions like that, my

Oh, what else am I supposed to do? Well, I'll tell you what. Why don't you stick

around? You've already heard that Pete was a lush. See what else you can find

out about his sins.

Who knows? You may even find out a couple of things about his virtues.

What are you going to do?

Get a drink.

A drink?

Yeah, at the world -famous Cupboard Wagon Bar in Bryland.

I'll pour it.

You want some free lunch?

Oh, what a lovely layout. But I just ate. Thank you very much.

You know, I was a friend of Pete Macklin.

Who? Pete Macklin, the man who ran off the road and was killed Friday.

I understand that he was in here drinking in the afternoon.

I didn't know.

Why don't you check with the fella in the light hat over there at the poker

table? Thank you.

Maybe you noticed him, huh?

Ten bucks buys in.

Hey, that's not a bad idea. Okay, deal me in.

Did you by any chance happen to know Pete personally?

Yeah.

Was he here last Friday afternoon?

Oh, yeah.

And did he drink?

I don't recall having one beer drinking. Yeah, he had something to drink.

That's good.

One beer, huh?

Me too.

One more than the other fella had.

I'll take three.

What other fella?

I said, what man?

The fellow Pete Macklin was talking to for about an hour. Big black dude.

Never saw him before.

Harry.

Straight to the ten.

Do you know where I can find this other man?

I told you, I never saw him before.

Okay, thank you very much, gentlemen.

Another hand?

No, I don't think so. Tell you what, Joe, you will buy a drink on me, won't

Sure.

Will they help me?

Quietly.

What have you to do with Pete Muckler?

He was an old friend of mine.

And who are you?

Never mind.

Never... Never mind.

make on him yet?

That's up to the chief.

He's talking to him.

Be a while.

With that, I'm sure.

So I sure do want to apologize, Mr. Belmont.

Mistakes can happen.

Quite all right.

Well, that's very good of you. If there's anything we can do, be sure and

know.

Would you be kind enough?

To tell me what's happening, what's going on here, I would like to hear it.

You're going to hear it.

That fellow's a VIP, and you nearly got your tail in a sling.

That is Mr.

Robert Valmont, vice consul of the country of Malareve, and the U .S. State

Department says he has diplomatic immunity and is to be treated very

So if you bother that gentleman again, Cannon, I'll bust you right down.

You get it?

I'm going to stay with you for a little while, if it's all right with you. Sure,

Mom.

Blackman, you don't know me. I was a friend of your husband's, my condolence.

Oh, thank you.

That's a fine boy you've got here.

Mm -hmm.

I just ran into an old friend of yours, Jerry Wharton.

Wharton?

Oh, I think there's some mistake.

Nice young fella. Saw him at Bittner's Flying School with a...

Fat man.

It's a fascinating piece of machinery.

I imagine it's reliable because it's important, isn't it?

Why don't we talk over there?

Let you rest a little bit, okay?

Please.

What do you want?

Who's the fat man?

His name is Cannon. He was a friend of my husband's.

I asked him to find out more about how Pete died.

Look, what do you want to know, fool? What do you want?

You're just like your late husband. You're stupid.

You tell your fat friend, you change your mind, you're upset, you don't want

answer any more questions.

What are you afraid that I could say to him? Maybe nothing.

Maybe something you heard from Pete that could do a lot of harm.

Will you just please let me alone?

You take this from a friend or the boy, because if anything went wrong with his

treatments, why, he'd die, wouldn't he?

So long, Pete.

Take care of your mother.

Hello.

Yes, I am well aware of your identity, Mr. Cannon.

I inquired of the police.

You have something to tell me?

Yes.

Come in. Thank you.

How's your head?

Fine, thank you.

Yes, I thought it'd be nice if we had a little talk.

At least it would help clarify things for each other.

You see, first, Pete Macklin didn't die by accident or suicide. He was killed.

And second, you know why, but not who.

You see, Macklin claimed to be in a mysterious venture with big rewards.

A venture involving your country.

You're a very intelligent man, Mr. Cannon.

Peace. Thank you.

Macklin telephoned me, said there was a planned attack against Malarif.

He insisted on a personal meeting.

What sort of attack?

He told me he was a mercenary, recruited into a group of mercenaries, that there

was a planned coup to overthrow my government.

He wanted $50 ,000 to betray the plan.

Did you give him the money?

No, I am not a complete fool, Monsieur Cannon.

I insisted on proof.

He became very angry.

He said he would be back in a few hours with all the evidence necessary.

And he died.

I was killed, if there really is a mercenary plot.

Very possible.

Monsieur Cannon?

My country is young and not stable, but we are potentially rich.

Copper, iron ore, bauxite, gold.

The wealth of a whole country, that's a heavy motive.

It certainly makes murder more likely.

I cannot go to the authorities here without more information. My ambassador

insists on discretion.

If we made accusations without proof...

the opposition party would stir up a political whirlwind, create serious

embarrassment for my government.

However, I am willing to pay you if you

can give me that proof.

All right, I was wrong. I admit it.

I talked to some other guys that knew Pete Macklin, and they had him up as a

pretty solid guy.

Did you know he worked steady as a TV stuntman?

Yeah, pays pretty good, too, doesn't it? Sure does.

But he quit to take a nowhere job at Bittner's Flying School. You know why?

Yeah, he was in some kind of mysterious, juicy deal.

Right. He got titted about it, but he wouldn't talk about it except to one

The guy that got him involved in it in the first place.

An old buddy of his by the name of Johnny Farinetti.

I'm sorry, I'm interrupting you. Oh, that's all right, that's all right.

Beautiful. I almost lost it, you know.

Yeah, beautiful.

Beautiful. You want some?

Oh, no, I'm not hungry. You sure?

Uh -huh. How about a little chocolate? Yeah.

Okay.

Thanks. There you go.

Excuse me.

Mmm.

I've come to a decision.

Hmm?

I'm not going to rip myself in half over Pete's memory anymore.

What?

I'm going to get in touch with the insurance company. I'm sure that we can

some kind of settlement.

Yeah.

Well, that makes it a piece of cake for me. I'll get the credit for cooling you

off. You deserve it.

Mm -hmm.

Nobody. Please.

You're scared.

Is this your boy? Somebody threatening Petey?

Who?

Look, Kate, your husband was in a plot to overthrow the government of an

nation, Malarive.

Big risk, big money.

But Pete didn't like the deal, so he went to the Malarive consul, a man by

name of Robert Valmont.

So somebody killed him.

No accident, no suicide.

Murder.

Now, is that enough reason to tell me who's threatening you?

I don't know him.

He knew me. He kept smiling at me and telling me how vulnerable Petey was.

And then, look, he gave me this.

It's $1 ,000, and he said that there would be more if I would cooperate.

Maybe you can't help me. I've got a name, Johnny Farinetti. Does that mean

anything to you?

Uh, yes.

They were, uh, they were in the war together.

Flying buddies.

Johnny, Johnny Farinetti and someone else. Lon or Lucas Palmer.

That's it. Did Pete stay close to them?

No, no, but they would get together every once in a while, you know, and

drink.

They used to go to this place that Johnny and Luke liked.

It was called the, uh...

The walk -away bar.

Luke Palmer?

I never really liked him.

You like him?

Well, I'd like to talk to him.

He's not here.

Hasn't been around for a while, but...

He'd know.

Big buddy with Paul.

Thanks very much.

Excuse me.

Johnny says you're a beautiful girl with an extraordinary talent, and I should

buy you a drink for him.

Johnny who?

Farinetti.

That slob?

What'd he do?

And if he did it to you, he's out of his head.

Well, he ran out on me, and I found out he was a liar.

Said he was flat broke, you know, except he bought himself a B -26, an old

bomber, you know, for cash.

Well, what did he do with it?

He ran out on me.

He took off, you know, into the wild blue yonder.

Anyway, how about it?

Inky Bar.

Yes, I knew Lucas Palmer very well.

And I remember our last meeting.

It was exceptional.

In what way, Colonel?

Well, Palmer was a very tight man with a dollar.

But he bought me a great deal of liquor, trying to get me drunk.

My curse.

I cannot get drunk.

Then he asked me about old times.

The war?

Which war?

There's always a war.

After a while, you're out of it, and it's somebody else's war.

But it's all the same thing.

A piece of my war.

I was stationed at Special Forces Training Field.

South of the metropolis of Janusville.

Lost in the desert.

Lost place.

And Palmer was interested in it, huh?

Oh, very.

He wanted to know precisely where it was and who was using it.

So I told him nobody used it.

An abandoned piece of lost history.

I gave Belmont the location of the airfield and told him if we hadn't

him in a couple of days, he better start screaming for help.

That's comforting for us.

My name is Frank. And you've been looking for me.

I've been waiting for you.

Thank you.

He's good, Cody.

Yeah, not bad.

Thank you, fans.

I'm Johnny Farinetti. Hello, Johnny.

Luke Palmer. Luke. Hi.

Well, that's the reason I come looking for you guys.

You need an armorer, and I'm the best one there is. So do we get the job?

Well, maybe you.

What's he doing here? What good is he?

I need a Jerry to fly me up here. Maybe you need a top -rate pilot, too.

Keep him company.

Cannon, you come with me.

Okay.

Hi, Jerry Wharton. Palmer.

How are you?

Headquarters, eh?

That's right.

How did you find me?

Well, Pete Macklin said a few things.

Not good enough?

No.

Pete kept his mouth shut.

But that was a start.

So I had a long talk with his widow.

I wondered if you were going to mention the lady.

Now, I may be greedy, but I'm not stupid. I figure you were going to make

lot of money.

Oh?

Yeah.

See, I've been digging up pieces.

First, Farronetti buys a B -26.

And then Palmer cons the location of this airfield out of his old CO. Now,

are two big pieces.

And they add up to a huge deal.

Well, this is a big deal, Cannon. It's not some kind of an amateur game of

play revolutionary. I am a professional soldier.

These days, that's a despised calling.

Military is a dirty word, unlike, say, militant.

Well, I don't care. Reality is power, and power comes out of the muzzle of a

gun.

That, uh... saying was made by Herman Goering, huh?

You studied military history.

Well, a little bit.

That's probably why I was able to focus in on your operation.

And I must say, it's a beautiful piece of strategic planning.

Of course. You know the target?

Africa.

But I don't know how you're going to get there. You haven't worked everything

out?

We take off separately.

Rendezvous in Brazil. Private airfield.

Refuel. Put on extra tanks.

All arranged and paid for.

Of course. From Natal to Cape Verde Island and then across to Africa.

Of course, it's beautiful. I should have known it's beautiful.

It's a would -be country called Malarive.

Bushmen playing at being a nation.

But there's welfare, and some practical people know what to do with it.

If they can get control, huh?

Exactly. We hit the capital just as they announce a revolution.

One air attack, bombs, followed by a strafing run.

We own a country.

And then what?

Money. A large sum of money, and that's just for openers. An entire country in a

state of chaos. That is real opportunity, Cannon, for a strong man. A

can hold and guide and use power.

I can take it all.

Right.

With the right men.

You're hired, Cannon.

Beautiful, huh?

Yeah.

The Army cut the road in here, built this place, and phased the whole thing

No way to get out here except cross -country or by air.

We'll be coming.

Nobody even remembers us.

Well, certainly a perfect setup for Whitman's operation, isn't it?

He's a very cautious guy, isn't he?

He's nuts.

Yeah.

But that's good.

You need a psycho to put a package like this together.

The money is very real.

Yeah.

Too bad about Pete Macklin.

He didn't get his, huh?

Pete was a good buddy, but he needed the bread.

So he bought his farm a little early.

One thing I hate is the way Woodman has all of us checking on each other.

Well, we gotta have security, you know.

What if the government found out?

After all, Johnny...

Here's the crescent wrench.

Oh, thanks.

And where are the Marines?

That's a good question.

I gotta reach Valmont, give him a little shove.

There's a radio in the hangar.

It's always locked up.

Woodman's always in there.

Well, I'll just have to move Woodman out, won't I?

I've got a little problem I'm going to have to lay on you.

You know the plane that Jerry and I flew up here in? Well, it's rented.

And it suddenly occurred to me that the owners may be getting a little uptight

by now.

What? You didn't tell anybody you were headed here.

Oh, no, no, no, no.

But I thought maybe if you would advance Jerry enough money, well, he could fly

back and pay for a week, you know?

Uh -huh.

Just to be on the safe side?

Yeah.

Except Jerry won't fly it. I will.

Oh, that's fine.

Great.

Beautiful.

Hey, hey, hey.

Big Daddy's gone.

Let's all do something wild like having a soda pop before dinner.

It's a good idea, but I think I'll wash these grimy hands first.

Welcome to Palm Springs.

Where did you come from? The headquarters of your next revolution.

police?

I came alone.

You what?

I am a servant of my government, Colonel.

My ambassador is a very cautious man.

He ordered me to come here to get eyewitness proof before I committed our

country officially.

I apologize.

Perhaps at a later time he will.

Oh, that's beautiful.

Well, why don't you go back and inform your cautious ambassador that this is no

diplomatic negotiation.

There's a mercenary air force out here ready to blow your capital apart.

So get moving, get back there and start screaming for action.

Having trouble with your car?

I'm here explaining the desert, and you, you are... You are Monsieur Robert

Alain Valmont, Vice -Counselor Malarive, working with these two against me.

Three dead men.

Mm -hmm.

Yeah.

Well, if he does, you let me know, huh?

Mr. Valmont isn't at the hotel.

I know he's not at the hotel. I told you he went to find Mr. Cannon.

At a hidden airfield with a bunch of mercenary pilots, yeah?

You got it, Mrs.

Macklin. It's a pretty far -out story.

Well, it's the truth. And my husband was killed trying to stop them. And now Mr.

Cannon has gone out there, and he may be killed.

Well, I need a little thing called proof.

Evidence. When Mr. Belmont gets back to the hotel... He may not get back.

Well, let's give him a little more time, okay?

Why don't you go back to the hotel, have a nice rest? If what I'm saying just

happens to be true, then what are you going to do?

I'll take my chances.

Can I use your phone, please?

Yeah.

I want to call person to person to San Francisco.

I want to speak to the consul of the Republic of Malarive.

Yes, sir.

Oh, I'll get on it right away. Oh, yes, sir, right away.

Look, I'm sorry.

I just didn't know what else to do. San Francisco?

Hmm? State Department?

The FBI?

Washington? Customs? You did quite enough.

Okay, the place is called Special Forces Training Area Blue 7.

Well, it's east of the mountains, Chief.

Right in the middle of nowhere.

Hmm. What kind of roads?

Map says there aren't any.

Well, then we'll go cross -country. Wake up Dave Halliwell and tell him we'll

need his Jeep and that pickup truck of his.

All right, get your gear and move, or he'll shoot you down.

Just like he did Pete Macklin.

What?

Murder, that's what.

Nice work, Woodman. I learned how you did it when I saw you go after the

Woodman? Grow up, Johnny. Pete was going to sell us to him. I saved your neck.

By killing Pete?

By killing Pete.

By driving you slobs till you sweat bullets.

By getting it done on time.

By setting it up and making it work.

All right, get your gear. Get into your planes. I want us to move out of here at

ten minute intervals. You all know your routes. Now get moving.

Come on, get with it.

Well, you send them off and you shoot us down.

It won't upset me, Woodman.

That's right, Johnny.

How don't you think about it?

He killed Macklin.

If he's going to murder us, what's going to stop him from killing the rest of

you? Now, who's going to need you after this game is over?

The game is over.

Stop it!

Hey,

Woody! Two cars full of cops coming across country!

I want to get the...

Bye.

Do we really have to, too?

I apologize that this will necessarily be a secret.

You deserve much more.

Look, I've already been paid by a very unhappy insurance company, right?

He's just trying to be cynical, monsieur.

All right.

In the name of the Republic of Malarive, in recognition of heroic and valuable

services,

Hereby award you the Order of the Star.

One word out of you and you've had it, kid.

Thank you.

You used to be a policeman when I needed you. Ah, well, here we go.

Let's see.