After "The spy who mugged me"

Chapter 1

The case was over and the team had gotten an invitation to stay on the boat as guests. Hannibal and BA readily agreed. Frankie too was happy and Murdock in a boat of his own with the girl. Hannibal contemplated the idea of just how long they would stay, Face was down under the deck, pucking out his guts. Thinking that Face would overcome his sea sickness sooner or later he turned to his host who had come to the deck some minutes after Murdock had removed the rope holding the smaller boat to the larger.

"Thanks for the offer. We'll stay for a week to have some vacation but then we really need to move. Our employer will have a fit."

"You can stay however long you want. For now, please come and have dinner with me."

Face had just returned when the last words were being said. At the word dinner he turned and headed right back for the bathroom.

The team didn't see much of Face for the rest of the day or the next. That said they didn't see much of Murdock either. When the ship went into the harbor around noon of the second day to take more supplies Face begged Hannibal.

"I can't stand it, please. I'll just find a hotel and wait there for you."

"Face, it's not even 24 hours we are on this ship. If we go against Stockwell's orders we all have to do so together. This is a team vacation and you'll stay."

Face would have pleaded his case more but the next time he emerged from the bathroom they had left the harbor already.

Hannibal had seen that the situation between Face and Murdock had seemed to get worse ever since Face, or rather Murdock, had discovered who Faces father was. He hoped the two could do with some quality time together on this ship and get whatever was in-between them worked out. However, Murdock was occupied with the girl and Face with the porcelain. Even after another night Face had not adjusted. If anything he looked far worse than before. That day as they landed in the harbor Hannibal gave in, seeing that his plan would not work out anyway, and allowed Face to leave the ship.

"Okay kid, get your hotel and some rest. Make sure to give me your number and to check in regularly."

Face simply nodded, took his bag and swayed away without turning back to Hannibal or the ship.

Hannibal watched him having to steady himself at different objects along the pier several times which he found odd. The ship had started moving out again and the last thing he saw of Face before he got out of sight was how he doubled over at one of the lanterns and reached up some bile into the water.

Face made his way to a hotel without sea view. He felt terrible, hurt all over, and didn't even want to see the sea anymore. He collapsed at his bed fully clothed and passed out. When he woke up he cursed. He had been out for three hours. Hannibal would have his hide for not checking in. He quickly dialed the number of the ship.

"Kid, what the hell took you so long."

"Sorry colonel, first I couldn't get a taxi, then it turned the wrong way, the driver didn't understand English, then the first hotel was booked, I had to stop several times to..well, stop the world from spinning….I just wasn't lucky today."

"Okay. Make sure you rest and don't miss another check in time."

Face's voice sounded scratchy but Hannibal didn't think anything by it. With all the bile that had passed his throat in the past two days he was entitled to sound that way. Hannibal was feeling bad for having made Face stay on the ship for another night and therefore went easy on him checking in late even though he was aware that the kid could have called sooner if he had wanted too. Probably was sulking some.

Face curled right back into himself and under the covers. He felt hot and cold and just plain miserable. He had not been feeling too good before and a night in the cold, soaking wet from rain, had not done anything to improve his situation. He had been able to keep it at bay but ever since they were on that swaying ship things had gotten worse. He had hoped he would feel better when the swaying stopped but it wasn't the case. He mustered up the energy to set his watch for the next check in time but that was about all he could do.

The next check in came the next morning and Face had to train speaking before he made the call since his voice didn't want to cooperate. He was just a few minutes late though.

"Kid, are you alright? Your voice sounds terrible."

"Just a sore throat."

"Okay. Get some meds for that and rest. Don't be late for check in tonight."

"I won't."

"Was that Face?" Frankie had seen Hannibal on the phone.

"Yeah, sounds like a rusty bucket. Too bad he can't cope with ships, the sea air would be good for a head cold."

"Sure…" Frankie was about to say 'no wonder after spending a night in the cold rain' but didn't get the chance as Murdock came bouncing by howling something and pretending to fish imaginary fishes. He had ditched his Connery persona the day before and was back to howling mad Murdock for the moment. Hie never really let the insane persona show, rather tried to be funny to impress the girl. What irritated Hannibal was that he hadn't even asked for where Face was.

Face was in time for the evening check in and also didn't miss the next morning one. But if possible his voice sounded worse every time.

"Damn, kid you sound fine. Sure it's just a sore throat?"

"Sure." It was more a squeak than a word but it was understood.

"Anything else? Fever? Still nauseous?"

"No. Fine."

"Fine sounds different. Make sure you rest."

That evening Face didn't call at all. When Hannibal rung his number after waiting by the phone for thirty minutes Face just coughed into the phone for some time until he was able to press some words out.

"Sorry, fell asleep."

"Sounds like you need your sleep. Do I need to come over?"

"No, got meds, going to…" the rest was lost in a coughing fit but Hannibal knew he was going to say 'be fine'. He rolled his eyes at the phone.

"Get back to sleep kid."

Hannibal was worried, it was taking too long and Face didn't seem to improve. He was also not someone to miss check in time without a good reason. But there was nothing he could do since the ship was on the water and would be until the next afternoon when they were due for another stop at the harbor. If he made the ship return now and Face had nothing but a head cold he would never hear the end of it.

When Hannibal returned to the deck BA was waiting. "Face sound any better?"

"Not at all, worse rather. He missed check in, again."

"You worried?"

"Some. If he doesn't sound better tomorrow morning I'll go check on him when we are at the harbor."

The next morning came and Face didn't check in. This time he didn't also answer the phone as Hannibal called him. He made the crew change direction and was at the harbor within an hour.

"Want us to come with you?" BA was clearly worried too.

"No, but stay by the phone. I'll call you soon as I find him."

Finding him took longer than anticipated although it was not too difficult. He was right in his hotel room and it was also the hotel he had informed Hannibal about, only that for some reason he had chosen a small place at the other end of town. As far from the ocean he loved as possible, Hannibal noticed with a pang of guilt. It wasn't a classy place but rather one for low budget tourists. Seems he still didn't trust Stockwell and had rather used one of his self made passports and paid with the cash he had on him. The door was unlooked, which made Hannibal's alarms ring. He entered carefully, saw Face out cold on the carpeted floor, and checked around with his weapon drawn. Checking out was fast since the place existed of only a small bedroom with adjoining bathroom. In no time Hannibal was kneeling down beside Face to check him over. He showed no signs of being hit but was burning hot instead.

"Just a sore throat, right kid?" Since Face didn't stir Hannibal got to work with wet towels from the bathroom to cool Face down. It didn't take long before he got a reaction. Face began to shiver and push Hannibal away weakly as he came around.

"Hold still kid, you are burning up."

"Ccccold."

"I know. You have quite a fever there. How long have you been on the floor?"

"Don't know."

"Not very talkative today, are you? Why are you on the floor?"

"Water."

Hannibal looked around and saw the empty plastic container on the floor. Looked like Face got up to refill it in the bathroom and not quite made it there.

"What time is it?"

"Morning?"

"A bit more precise kid."

Face looked at Hannibal as if he had grown a second head but before he could answer he was wacked by coughs.

"Let's get you back on the bed. Do you at least have a clue as to how many days you have been here?"

"Matters?"

"Just forget it, you sound terrible. What meds did you take?"

"Uhm…"

"Face, I told you to get some meds. And that was three days ago!"

Face looked down and Hannibal mentally kicked himself for believing for even one second that the kid would actually get meds for himself. He would take any opportunity to avoid taking them. Telling him to get meds for himself was the same as telling a cat to babysit a mouse.

"Water?"

"I'll get you some."

Hannibal picked up the container and filled it. Face eagerly took it and drunk.

"Slow kid, you'll get sick. There is more, go slow."

Face slowed down and handed the container back when the pain that swallowing obviously caused outrunned his thirst.

"Good. Have you eaten anything today?"

Again no eye contact or reaction.

"Okay, how about yesterday?"

"Uhhmm…"

"Okay,let me put it this way. What did you eat since you got here?"

Face pointed to some baguette that was broken in half and had some of its inside ripped out.

"You want to tell me that the remains of this is all you eat in three days? No, more than four days actually since you started pucking out your guts."

"No."

"Good. What else did you eat?"

"Not the remains, the other part."

"What? Ah kid, don't you get witty with me. At least it means you are not as bad off as you sound."

Fact was that it was pure survival instinct that had made Face buy the baguette just outside the hotel before going to his room after he had booked and paid. It didn't have room service or even a restaurant and he knew he needed energy. Actually eating it was canceled after taking a first bite. The bread was too scratchy. Even the soft inside he had ripped out had felt like sand paper.

"Okay, I'm going to call BA, then get us some food, meds for you and some supplies. You stay put and don't move a muscle."

Hannibal went to the phone to relent the information to BA and then turned back to Face. "Okay kid, I'll be back soon."

Face looked away but before he did Hannibal saw the all too common hurt in his eyes. He sighed and sat down by Face's side. "Look at me kid, I'll be back as soon as I can but we need supplies. You close your eyes and sleep a bit, I'll be back before you know it. Where's the key to the door?"

Face looked up confused.

"The key to the hotel room door. It wasn't locked and the key is not at the door."

"Not locked?"

"No. You don't remember much from the last three days do you? …Didn't think so." Some searching around by Hannibal brought up the key next to Face's bag. Looked like he just dropped it there when he came in three days ago. He locked the door from outside and went in search of the nearest shop. Whit a pang of guilt he noticed just how much he had left the care of his men to Stockwell Ever since the whole Stockwell nightmare had started he had not cared for his team as he used too. Anytime one of them was sick or injured Stockwell brought in doctors or nurses or made sure they were taken to a hospital. All the personal care Face had carved so much before, he had not provided it for Face again. No wonder the kid had wanted to leave, not believing in the pardons was only one aspect. He had not had the hope for pardons all the years before but stayed with his team because they were his family. But under Stockwell they were not the same team as before. Face had felt like the fifth wheel and that was why he had wanted to leave. Hannibal had a lot of things to set right with his men, all of them. But first of all he had to get Face well. When he returned to the room some thirty minutes later he found Face wrapped tight in the blanket, shivering uncontrollably and with chattering teeth.