Michele Scarabelli: Jo Santini

Blackjack

Jo Santini

[Jo watches Dominic enters a helicopter and starts its engine. She waves her uncle and walks away. Stringfellow approaches]
Stringfellow Hawke - Special Guest Star: Where's Dom going?
Jo Santini: He's on a short cargo run up the coast.
Stringfellow Hawke - Special Guest Star: I need to talk to him.
[Stringfellow rushes to the helicopter, when it suddenly explodes. Jo screams in horror. Dominic is killed, and Stringfellow is severely injured]

[Jo places a bouquet on Dominic's grave. Unknown to her, Jason watches. Then she goes to visit Stringfellow at the V.A. hospital. A company guard stops her, telling her nobody is allowed inside]
Jo Santini: [raises her voice] I've been listening to that for three days now, and I'm not listening anymore!
[Jason approaches Jo and shows her his badge]
Jason Locke: Miss Santini? My name's Locke. I'd like to ask you a few questions about your uncle, Dominic Santini, and about Stringfellow Hawke.
Jo Santini: [sharply] What do they have to do with you people?
Jason Locke: We had a mutual interest in Airwolf.
Jo Santini: I don't know what that is and right now, I'm not in the mood to find out. So if you don't mind...
[Jo looks angrily at both men. The guard moves aside and lets her enter the room where Stringfellow is in a coma, connected to life-support system and his hands are bandaged. Jo leaves the door open]
Jo Santini: String? It's me, Jo.
[Stringfellow's lips move. Jo sits next to the bed, eyes filled with tears]
Jo Santini: I know you can hear me. I'm going to stay here until you come out of this. You and uncle Dom were the only family I ever had. I'm not gonna let you go, too.
[Jason closes the door]

[Jo sits next to Stringfellow's bed at the hospital]
Jo Santini: [chuckles] You remember the first time Dom took us up in that junky old chopper? He shoved the stick in your hands, and I screamed. And St. John and you told me to shut up or bail out.
[Stringfellow's lips and hands move]
Jo Santini: [whimpers] String, I can't do this alone. You've got to help me.
[Stringfellow raises his right hand. Jo presses his hand reassuringly. He tries to say something]
Jo Santini: What? What is it?
Stringfellow Hawke - Special Guest Star: [mumbles painfully] St. John... St. John is alive. Please take Airwolf. Find him, please. Please.

Jason Locke: Look, I realize this is a bad time for you, Miss Santini, but there's still a few things I've got to find out. How close were you to Hawke and St. John?
Jo Santini: We were family. Uncle Dom was like a father to all three of us. He taught us all how to fly.
Jason Locke: [sits] Did he ever talk to you about his work?
Jo Santini: I figured there was more to their rent-a-plane business than they let on.
Jason Locke: Did they ever confide in you?
Jo Santini: What is it you want exactly, Mr. Locke?
Jason Locke: My friends call me Jason.
Jo Santini: Whatever you say, Mr. Locke. Do you know what they were doing?
Jason Locke: Let me just say that you can be very proud of the work that they've done for this country.
Jo Santini: [quietly] Thanks.
[Jason stands and starts to walk away. Then he stops and turns to Jo]
Jason Locke: Miss Santini, did you know that Hawke still believes that St. John is alive?
Jo Santini: [lying] Well, if he does, he never mentioned it to me.
Jason Locke: I'll be in touch. Good night, Miss Santini.
Jo Santini: Good night.
[Locke exits. Jo notices an envelope near the door - the same size and color of the previous envelope she found in the helicopter. She picks it up. It's addressed to "Stringfellow Hawke" - the same handwriting too. She opens it and finds a ring inside which she examines closely]

Major Mike Rivers: [smiles] Well, you sure know how to make an entrance. That was you flying that thing?
Jo Santini: It was me. Who are you?
Jason Locke: Miss Santini, what the hell are you doing here? This machine is top secret.
Jo Santini: WAS top secret, Mr. Locke.
Major Mike Rivers: Santini? Dom Santini's...
Jo Santini: [shakes Mike's hand] Niece. I'm Jo.
Major Mike Rivers: I'm Mike. Mike Rivers. It's nice to meet you. You're a great flyer, you know?
Jo Santini: Thanks. She's a great machine. Want to check her out?
Major Mike Rivers: Yeah.
Jason Locke: All right, you two, hold it right there. Miss Santini, I don't know what the hell you're up to, but I'm going to have to order you to leave this area right now.
Jo Santini: [scoffs] That's not how it works. I found her first and I'm not finished with her.
[Jo turns to Mike]
Jo Santini: You any good in the air?
Jason Locke: Miss Santini, let's get one thing straight. This machine belongs to...
Jo Santini: Look, Jason, I know your people want her back. I just think we can help each other. I want to find St. John. I know he's alive.
Jason Locke: I think so, too. Trouble is, I don't know where he is.
Major Mike Rivers: [smiles] Well, don't look at me.
Jo Santini: I do. Look inside.
[Jo hands Locke the ring that was sent to Stringfellow. He examines it closely and notices letters and digits inscribed on the inside]
Jason Locke: Coordinates?
Major Mike Rivers: Well, what are we waiting for?

[Jo, Mike Rivers and Jason Locke enter Airwolf]
Major Mike Rivers: This baby is incredible!
Jo Santini: Check out the turbo thrusters.
Major Mike Rivers: [turns on the weapon systems] Sunburst decoys, missiles, chain guns... this is a flying army!
Jason Locke: Now you can see why the Company wants to get its hands back on it.
Jo Santini: Well, if we're going to do it...
Major Mike Rivers: Let's do it!
[they put on helmets. Jo turns on the engines. Locke pulls the throttle. Airwolf flies out of the hideout]
Jason Locke: Coordinates?
Jo Santini: Locked and set.
Major Mike Rivers: Going to afterburner. Hold on.
[Airwolf flies to the military camp in Burma]

[final scene: St. John flies Airwolf back to the secret hideout where Jo, Mike and Jason wait. Mike cleans a helmet]
Major Mike Rivers: Can you hear it this time, Jason?
Jason Locke: Music to my ears.
[they watch admiringly at Airwolf as it lands inside. St. John turns off the engines and exits]
St. John Hawke: There was something I had to do.
Jason Locke: We'll all have a lot to do from now on.
Jo Santini: Locke has an idea.
Major Mike Rivers: [joking] Yeah, I think it's his way of keeping me off the streets.
Jason Locke: The fact is, we got the best of everything, right here in this room. I'd like to continue what we started.
Jo Santini: But we need you, St. John, to complete the team.
Jason Locke: We keep Airwolf our secret, but we work for the Company. What do you say?
[St. John contemplates. Mike hands him the helmet. St. John takes it, smiles, and shakes their hands. Jo hugs St. John. The four companions walk away]