Out of luck
Title:
Author: Therm
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters here.
Summary: Colonel Decker realises how easily the team escaped from him and something a lot more damaging.
Notes: Supposed to be shorter than this, but you know how it is. Added note at bottom of the story, more of an explanation really to a certain bit mentioned in the fic.
Warnings: Spoiler for 'Curtain Call'
I listen to him, more out of courtesy than interest. After all, I came here to see him.
I guess I can't believe that I let The A Team slip through my fingers so easily. It may be true that we've had them surrounded before. We've had them cuffed and locked up and they can still escape, but something was different this time.
When I arrived with Crane and the others at that abandoned mine, I knew that they still had a chance of escaping.
I was prepared for it, waiting expectantly.
I was disappointed in many ways when Hannibal Smith came out, his hands raised and his gun belt held up loosely in his hand. But more than being disappointed, I was a little concerned. There's never been any quit in this man, never been a situation that he can't escape from or at least give it a damn good try.
Seeing him surrendering him like that was surreal, I wanted to catch him, not have him give up on me.
Nevertheless, a result was still a result and catching The A Team definitely wasn't going to hurt my career.
After entering the cave, where I still expected them to pull something out of the bag, I realised why Smith was so subdued.
I saw the injured man on the floor and knew it was Peck. Without seeing his face I couldn't tell how bad he was, but I feared that it was serious by the way the others acted. I still made one of my men check on him while I stayed on guard, there was no way I was giving them any opportunities here.
After Peck's condition was judged to be serious, I ordered him to be taken to the teams van and we escorted Smith, Baracus and Tawnia Baker out.
This was where I made a mistake, the first and unfortunately, not the last.
Before I moved them too far from the cave, Smith requested that they be allowed to travel in the van with Peck, in case he didn't make it.
I relented.
God knows I shouldn't have, but there was something about the way they acted that made me think that maybe this would be Pecks last ride with them.
They were all moved into the van and then Pack was loaded in, Crane congratulated me. It had been a long time coming and I felt that I had finally got what I'd been working for all these years. It felt good, although it turned out to be short lived.
There was a sudden screeching of tyres as the van reversed with some speed. It stopped briefly and one of my men, Briggs, was thrown from the vehicle by a still cuffed Hannibal Smith. He managed to shoot out the tyres of our stationary vehicles, we weren't so lucky. I watched them ride away hastily and wondered how I'd let them slip through my fingers again.
It was a day or two later that I realised the truth to the situation.
We were busy trying to put the pieces together on what had really happened when we found Pecks fingerprints on not only the medical kit, but some of the bottles inside. It was obvious what had happened from there.
We knew that if Peck, Baracus or Smith hadn't been injured then there was only one remaining possibility.
I was grateful that I had men already watching the VA hospital and sent them in to locate Captain Murdock. They got back to me with news that he couldn't be seen by anyone at that time as he was undergoing 'intense treatment'.
I wouldn't let that keep me away and I headed there myself, telling the other units to keep an eye out for Murdock trying to leave or The A Teams arrival.
I arrived and was told that I could visit Murdock but that he was already outside with an orderly. I was directed to where Murdock would be and found him quickly.
I spoke with the orderly and asked him for some time alone with the the pilot.
I had to admit that they had covered themselves well this time.
Murdock wore a straitjacket, something that he's never been in on any of my previous visits. He looks pale and in my opinion, not in full health.
But despite the pain I was certain he was in due to the shoulder injury he had sustained, he kept the act up well, not letting slip for a moment even any knowledge of The A Team.
If I didn't know better, I'd have believed him.
But I see this for what it is.
The A Team have outsmarted me and there's nothing I can do to prove it.
I could kick up a fuss, demand to see the mans shoulder and have the injury be proved to me, but it's not enough in itself.
All it means is that I'm more certain than before that Murdock is with them, working and helping them any way he can.
To what extent, I don't know. But I admire him for sticking with them.
And next time I'm on their case, I'll be all to aware of any help they may be getting.
For now, I'll give them their time to re-group.
But once they have, all's fair.
The End