The A-Team Rides Again

I do not own the rights to the A-Team or its characters.

HANNIBAL

It is the start of a fairly warm day here in Los Angeles, California. The sun is shining and you can already tell it is going to get hot later on in the afternoon. John "Hannibal" Smith gets up and plans his day. First, he will go to the coffee shop on the corner by the bank and get breakfast. He will spend the morning relaxing as he reads the latest copy of Variety. Next, he will stop by the bank and deposit his check and take out some cash. He only has a small check to put in the bank this morning, but it helps pay the bills now that he is retired, that and the money he and the team made helping people all those years ago.

The team is the A-Team. They picked up money by getting rid of scumbags and slime balls that were extorting money from the little guy, or just plain taking things from people to further their own interests. The team charged a fee dependent on what the people could pay, or they took their fee from the bad guy's money. Sometimes they made out well and other times, not so much, but they still got the job done and put a lot of crooks behind bars. They also have a percentage in several different businesses that they helped out along the way. In this way Hannibal and the others are able to live fairly well and do what they want to do in life. His apartment is small, but nice, very nice. He lives in Hollywood because this is where he feels like living. Hannibal has retired and is just enjoying himself, like today, taking it easy and hoping something will come along to make his day interesting.

He picks up his Mercedes keys, but decides to walk instead. He tries to keep somewhat in shape for his age, and walking is about all he feels like doing this morning. Besides helping his heart, he likes to walk because he reminisces as he goes. He stops and picks up the Variety magazine from in front of his door and heads out. His good friend and former lieutenant, Templeton Peck, is still making the news once in a while as a producer, and Hannibal likes to keep up with his career. Faceman, or Face, as he is affectionately known, has the gift of talking anyone out of their money, or anything else for that matter. He is a real con artist, but in show business it's called producing, and Face is pretty good at it.

Today Hannibal is thinking about the last time the team got together. It was on his birthday. The weather had been perfect that day, also. They had made plans to go to Catalina and it turned out to be one of his best birthdays ever. There was the choice of the water plane, or the boat, but knowing B.A.'s aversion to flying, they all knew they would be taking the boat to Catalina Island. They had a good time walking around Avalon, and enjoyed a wonderful dinner, where each of them gave him some really funny gifts. B.A. gave him a tool kit so he could do some "simple" repairs around his apartment. Murdock gave him a baseball cap with A.M. (Aquamaniac) on it, and Face gave him a larger than life, yet fake, Oscar. They laughed and talked and ate, B.A. more than the others, and then took the last boat back home. They really need to figure out a way to get together more often. He sees each of them separately, but the four of them get together so infrequently. He is going to have to do something about that. He'll just order them to meet with him. Nah, he can't do that anymore, but he could try! Well that is one of the few perks he has as a retired leader.

Back to the present, he is thinking about his check and how much he should keep out for dinner tonight. He prefers to pay cash for things, as he has never gotten used to using plastic for payment. He tried for a time, but he didn't like keeping track of all those receipts. This way, when he runs out of money, he knows he has to go to the bank. A much better system as far as he is concerned.

Short lived as his acting career was, it is surprising he has any checks to bank on at all from his movie days. He had enjoyed playing monsters in the movies. Like the Aquamaniac, but those type of movies are not being made anymore. Nowadays they use computer graphics for their monsters. His type of actor is gone for good. However, his main career had been a colonel in the United States Army. He had been known for his unusual methods, and quick thinking plans that seemed as if they would never work, but always did.

"I haven't seen Face in a while, I need to call him and see if he wants to meet me for lunch. Maybe I can still get a bit part in one of his movies," he thinks out loud. "Or maybe he can join Murdock and me for dinner tonight. I'll give him a call later. He's never up this early."

He steps out onto the sidewalk and immediately lights up a cigar. He does all his best thinking with a cigar in his mouth. That reminds him, he is running low. He'll have to walk down two more blocks past the bank to get to the store where he buys his cigars. Oh well, this last batch has lasted him quite a while, so he can't complain. He has his walk timed just right. He can smoke one cigar on his way to the café, so he will be finished before he gets there. With all the new smoking laws, he can't smoke inside anymore, and he hates putting them out and then having to relight them after he comes out. So like everything else in Hannibal's life, he has perfect timing.

Hannibal covers the distance to the café in twenty minutes. He picks out a nice table outside and sits down. Today he decides on eggs, scrambled, with sour dough toast, coffee and some melon. He opens the paper and starts scanning the news. Things sure have changed in Hollywood. He sees where Face is mentioned as being one of the people at a premiere last night, just his name in small print, nothing more. Oh well, it's better than nothing. He does need to call him and tell him he saw it, so Face can gloat a bit. That's okay, he deserves it. With all the people in show business today, you are lucky to get even this much press. Come to think of it, I hardly ever got mentioned by name in the press. Oh well, most of the time I was on the run from Lynch, or Decker, so it was probably a good thing. He remembers his two nemeses with fondness. They could never catch the team, and keep them, so now he can enjoy the memory of the chase. The sun is starting to beat down on his table, so he decides to go on down to the bank, and then to the cigar store, before it gets too intense.

As he walks into the bank, a feeling comes over him that something isn't right. He can't put his finger on it yet, but he "feels" something is different this morning. He steps over to the counter to make out his deposit slip. As he is filling it out, he is looking around, taking in everything. There are three people in line already. A man in his forties wearing a suit and tie is at the teller window. A beautiful young woman about twenty-five and a dark man, maybe thirty, dressed in khaki pants and a black shirt are waiting for the teller. The guy in the khakis seems a little high strung, so Hannibal decides to keep an eye on him. All his military training has caused him to be sensitive to his surroundings and something about this man is making the hair stand up on the back of his neck. When the woman moves to the teller window, the guy pulls a gun, grabs the woman, and yells for everyone to get down. "Get all the money and put it in this bag," he yells at the teller. She tries to move as fast as she can, but she is fumbling with the opening on the bag. Hannibal can see the guy is getting anxious, so he says, "Hey pal, why don't you calm down and she'll do what you ask. Just relax and give her a chance." The thief turns his black eyes to Hannibal's blue ones and stares hard at him, daring him to speak again. The teller fumbles with the bag and drops it on the counter, so the man turns back to her, menacing her with the gun. As Hannibal makes his move at the gun, the woman hostage screams and flings her arm out. It hits the gunman's arm, just enough to throw Hannibal's move off. Hannibal manages to push the woman down, out of the line of fire, but it puts him right in harm's way. The man pulls the trigger just as Hannibal gets between him and the woman. With a deafening bang, the bullet finds its target, Hannibal's heart. He has disrupted the robbery attempt, and the thief flees out the door, but Hannibal Smith has died instantly. He will never know that his death scene has been captured on tape, just like he would have liked it to be.

Detective Richard Johnson of the Wilshire Police Department gets a call that sends him to the Bank of America on Wilshire Blvd. This will be the tenth bank robbery in the last four weeks. He has been assigned as the lead on this case, and right now he wishes they would have given it to someone else. He just can't catch a break in these robberies. However, this is the first one with a shooting attached to it.

As he walks in the door, he immediately smells the acrid smoke that hangs in the air from the firing of a weapon. The Medical Examiner beat him here and is already at work. Several officers in uniform are in groups taking statements from the witnesses. "Well, let's see what we've got."

He walks over to Simmons. "Hey Simmons, what went down here?"

"Morning Detective. It looks like we've got the same m.o., except for the shooting. That's new."

"What happened to change it."

"It seems this guy Smith, tried to stop the robbery. Here's his wallet. The rest of his things have already been bagged."

"Okay. I suppose it got caught on video and you already have those?"

"Right. I think we are about finished here. The two witnesses have given statements, but you can meet them if you like. They are Miss Valarie Elliott, bank teller, and Miss Sara Wilson, customer. She is the person the perpetrator grabbed to use as a hostage."

"Are the two ladies willing to come downtown if necessary, to identify this guy when we catch him?"

"Yes, both agreed. Miss Elliott because she liked the deceased. Said he was a very nice gentleman, who always spoke with her when he came in, and Miss Wilson, because she owes him her life. "It seems like he jumped in and pushed her out of the way before the guy fired, so she feels extremely lucky to be alive. She really wants to put the guy away."

"Good! I like cooperative witnesses who are willing to step up. Now all we have to do is find him. Thanks, Simmons. I'll get back to you if I need anything else."

Det. Johnson walks over to where the M.E. is just finishing up and speaks with him a few minutes. It looks like there isn't much to it, a direct shot, point blank to the heart. He died instantly. He opens the wallet and finds a few bills, no credit cards, and a list of names with phone numbers. "Well, I guess I need to call and see if I can get in touch with a relative. None of these names are Smith, so I'll just start with the first one and work my way down. Let's see, how do you pronounce that, Ba ra cus? I hope so. I hate to say peoples' names wrong when I make these types of calls."

B.A.

B.A. gets up at 6:00a.m. every morning. He has been doing it for so many years his body can't seem to adjust to any other time. B.A. "Bad Attitude" Baracus was a sergeant in the army during the Viet Nam war, and the muscle man of the A-Team. He still tries to keep in shape, so right now he is walking across his lot to his garage/gym to get in a thirty minute workout. He only has time for a quick workout today because he has a couple of young guys coming over to his gym on Firestone Blvd. to start training. They are two pretty good prospects and he always likes helping guys get started on the right path.

B.A. also has a small daycare center that he keeps his hand in. He likes to go down there and see the kids. He has always had a soft spot in his heart for kids. A few years back he turned the day to day running of the business over to a very good manager, who has taken it further than B.A. could have ever imagined. It seems as if there are more and more kids who need something to keep them busy and out of trouble. B.A. didn't have that luxury as a child, so he wanted to help kids to keep them out of gangs and drugs.

B.A.'s life is very diverse. Beside the daycare, he also has the gym, and he still works on cars. Not as much as he used to, but he likes getting his hands dirty, and working on cars is very relaxing for him. He always looks after the team's cars. They all trust him and he keeps them in great running order. However, when it comes to planes, Murdock is on his own.

After his workout, he takes a quick shower and heads out the door. He will stop at the little taco shop on the corner and grab a couple of breakfast burritos and some milk on his way. He hits the gym about 7:10a.m., where he decides to get the broom and sweep up a little bit before the guys arrive. They come in right at 8:00a.m., and he has the place looking great by then, great by his standards anyway. The morning is moving along quickly when his cell phone rings. He doesn't want to answer it and break the rhythm, but when he sees "Wilshire P D" pop up, he decides he better. "Yeah!"

"Mr. Baracus? This is Detective Johnson of the Wilshire Police Dept."

"Yeah, what do you want?"

"Uh, Mr. Baracus, your name was on a list in Mr. John Smith's wallet. We are trying to reach any relatives he might have. Do you have any idea who they are and how we can get in touch with them?"

"Look Jack, Hannibal don't have any relatives, not livin' anyway. He has friends, who will handle anythin' that needs ta be done!"

"Who? I said John Smith."

"Well, I call him Hannibal, and so do his other friends. Now, what's all this about? Is he in some kind of trouble, or somethin'?"

"I guess you could say that Mr. Baracus … he's dead."

*"What! What did you say?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Baracus, but Mr. Smith died this morning during a failed bank robbery."

"No way Jack, Hannibal wouldn't be robbin' no bank! You must be crazy!"

"No Mr. Baracus, he wasn't robbing the bank, he was trying to prevent a robbery and he was shot by the assailant in the process."

"I can't believe it, Hannibal is dead! … I gotta go. I gotta talk ta some other people, or did you call the people on his list?"

"No, your name was at the top, so I called you first. If you could come by the station house and identify the body for us, I would appreciate it, and I need something stating that you can have his effects, like a power of attorney, or something. Then I can turn his things over to you. Of course there will be an autopsy, because of the circumstances. You understand, right?"

"Sure, I gotta go. I'll come down later."

B.A. hangs up the phone and just stands there, staring at it. "Hannibal dead, I can't believe it!" He repeats that several times and then turns to walk over to his small office for privacy to make the call he dreads making, but they have to know, and he has to tell them, Face, anyway. He doesn't want to call Murdock. He is so sensitive and B.A. isn't sure he can hold it together upon hearing this news, much less that fool.

FACE

The phone rings out in the curtain darkened room. It is such a blaring tone. Templeton "Faceman" Peck is trying to pull himself out of the depths of a too shortened sleep cycle. He had been at the premiere for a new show until at least two a.m., and didn't get to bed until much later. Maybe it's Deborah, she seemed kind of promising, but he can't imagine anyone from that party up already this morning. Ring!

"Where is that phone! Uh, who is calling at this hour, uh." By the third ring, he has managed to find the phone and pick it up. "Hello?"

"Faceman, its B.A., aren't you up yet?"

"B.A.? What time is it?"

"Man its 9:05."

"In the morning? Why are you calling me this early?"

"Hey Face, I got some bad news. Hannibal was just shot and killed tryn' ta stop a bank robbery about an hour ago."

"What? What did you say?" He is wide awake now, all grogginess from the night gone.

"I said, Hannibal was shot and killed this mornin'!"

"I, I don't believe it! Wha, what happened?"

"I don't know all the details. The police found my name in his wallet and they called me. They was lookin' for his relatives, but I told them he just has us."

"Oh, man, I can't believe it!"

"Me neither, but I guess it's true."

"I always thought Hannibal was … indestructible, you know? I guess I was wrong."

"Yeah, me too. I still can't believe it, Hannibal dead!"

"Have you called Murdock?"

"No, I was kinda hopin' you would. I don't know how ta tell the crazy man cause he's gonna take it bad, and I don't wanna be the one he falls apart with. Ya know?"

"Yeah, I hear ya. Ok I'll call him. Then I guess we should get together and decide what's going to happen next. I can't think right now. Give me a little time and I'll get myself together. I still can't wrap my head around this."

"Yeah."

"I'll call you later, when Murdock gets into town."

"I'm gonna see if I can find out anythin' else. Talk ta you soon."

"Okay, bye."

"Man oh man, I just don't believe it", Faceman says to no one at all. He heads for the shower. He needs to be in better shape before he calls Murdock. This is going to be tough.

He pauses before getting into the shower. He is remembering last night. Face was at this big premiere for a new hit movie. Of course anyone who is anyone was there. He likes to go to these things for several reasons; to meet actors, to talk about new scripts, to see what the next big "thing" is in Hollywood, and of course there are the women.

He was talking with a director who wants to do a new kind of monster movie. You take an actor and hook him up to all these sensors and then use the computer to mimic his actions. It isn't real new, but he wants to make it more like the old monster movies, but not look so stilted. Face listened intently, because he was thinking that maybe Hannibal would be good for this kind of part. He could put all of his monster angst together, yet it wouldn't be that hard on him.

"I think I'll give him a call," Face said quietly to himself. He pulled out his phone, but when he saw the time, 1:05 am, he decided he better wait until morning.

Coming back to the present, he is feeling very low.

"I should have called him. Now I,ll never get the chance. Why didn't I go ahead and call? I guess this will be one of the biggest regrets of my life." Face's agony is almost too much to bear.

He takes a very hot shower to try to clear the cobwebs, then dries off and gets dressed. "Why am I doing this? Oh yeah I'm stalling. I really don't want to be the one to tell Murdock, but it's got to be done."

Face has always been the second in command. Murdock outranked him, but Face was the next in line whenever Hannibal was indisposed, or just not around for whatever reason. He didn't always like this job, and right now he would rather be anywhere but here making this call. In fact, right now he would rather be in Monte Carlo, or on the French Riviera with a beautiful woman on each arm. He has always been known as a ladies man, and right now, that sounds better, a whole lot better than this. Oh well, putting it off won't change the fact that he has to do it, and Murdock deserves to know. He picks up the phone and hits the speed dial number to connect him with Murdock's home phone. If he doesn't get him there, he'll try his cell. He realizes he is holding his breath. Then someone answers.

MURDOCK

Murdock has been up for about three hours now. He and his wife Kelly, own a small ranch outside Upland. Kelly is a veterinarian, who Murdock met after being kidnapped by some bounty hunters. She helped him escape and he and Kelly stayed in touch off and on, until 1993 when they finally got married. This was after the team had earned pardons and had finally quit being the guardians of justice for the little guys who needed them.

Murdock, who had lived in a Veteran's Hospital for over fifteen years, had finally gotten out, under rather questionable circumstances. Whether he ever was actually released, or just walked away, no one really knows, but him, and he's not telling. H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock was the A-Team's pilot in Viet Nam. He could fly anything with wings, as he so often stated, and he was great at crash landings. Today Murdock has a small cargo service. He owns and operates "The Flying Vets Cargo Service" out of an airfield not five miles from his home. He has told Kelly many times he could just land on their road and save having to drive back and forth the five miles, but she says it scares the animals.

Besides being a veterinarian, Kelly has quite a menagerie going at their home. They have three horses, two pigs (with more on the way), two llamas, three goats, four dogs, and too many cats to count. Of course, the oldest mutt they have is named Billy. Billy had been brought into her office, a tiny puppy that had been abandoned and half starved. She nursed him back to health and gave him to Murdock for their fifth wedding anniversary. He is definitely Murdock's dog. He follows him all around the place, and has even gone up in the plane with him. Billy would sleep with him too, but Kelly put her foot down. After seventeen years of marriage, the only regret they have is that they can't have children. So the animals are their kids and his and Kelly's love keeps them going.

Murdock is just finishing up the daily feeding, watering, and cleaning of pens, when he hears the phone ringing. Kelly calls him from the house.

"H.M., phone."

"Hey, tell whoever it is to call me on my cell, I've got to head out to the field for that run to Barstow. I'll talk while I drive." He has already told Kelly, good-bye for the morning and he is running a little late, so he is climbing into his pick-up when the phone in his pocket rings.

"Hey, Faceman, how's it shakin'? I didn't know it was you on the house phone." He saw Face's picture come up on his cell phone, so knew who was calling him, that and the song that Murdock has as his ringtone for Face. He's glad Face doesn't hear the phone when he calls, because he has a non-flattering tune for his ringtone.

"You sure are cheery for this time of day."

"What do you mean this time of day? I've been up for hours."

"Yeah, well B.A. woke me up this morning with some bad news and I'm trying to get up enough courage to tell you, but I'm having a hard time."

"What? What? Just spit it out!"

"Hannibal was shot and killed during a failed bank robbery this morning in L.A."

Silence!

"Murdock, did you hear what I said? Hannibal's dead!"

"Yeah, I heard you. I was trying to let it sink in. I had this funny feeling this morning. Now I know why. …How'd B.A. find out?"

"The police called him. Apparently his number was first on the list in Hannibal's wallet."

"I was supposed to meet Hannibal for dinner tonight. I just talked with him yesterday afternoon. I can't believe this."

"Yeah, me neither."

"I mean, what happened, what was he doing?"

"I don't know. B.A. was going to try to talk with someone and get more information. Can you and Kelly come down? You can stay at my place. We need to make some decisions, you know?"

"Sure, I can be there this afternoon. I don't know about Kelly. She's training this new vet to take over for her when she retires. I'll talk to her and see what she thinks. Silence I still can't believe it."

"I know. I'll pick you up at the airport. You still park the plane at that little airport in La Verne, right?"

"Yeah."

"I didn't have any plans for the day anyway, so I can meet you there. About what time?"

"I guess about two. I've got a run to make to Barstow, and then I'll head that way."

"Okay. See you then." Face hears a sharp intake of breath. "You okay?" He asks his friend, knowing that none of them are "okay" right now, but he gives him a chance to talk it out if he needs to.

"Ah, yeah, I'll be alright. See you soon."

Murdock closes his phone and sits staring out the window, tears running down his face. He needs to do something, but he just can't move right now. That's where Kelly finds him fifteen minutes later. She holds him as he tells her what has happened and they both cry.