Welcome to "The Continuing Adventures of Murdock and the VA team." Random stories on how Murdock fills his time between missions with The Team and therapy sessions with Dr. Ritcher. The first of these stories "Of Zombies, Aliens and Jello" is a repost.
Of Zombies and Aliens and Jello.
By April Dancer.
He turned on the flashlight sending a quick signal to his team mates and then returned his attention to the deserted hallway. The squeak of shoes on the tile floor caused him to press in hard against the wall, merging into the shadows while he signaled his squad of the approaching danger. He grimaced at the noise as they tried to silently blend into the furnishings; "a crack commando unit his right butt cheek" Murdock thought. "Hey amigos you wanna try for a little quiet back there. If ol' Bruno and his buddies catch on to us. . ." He drew his finger across his throat. The squeaking noise receded and he chanced a quick look around the corner, seeing that the way temporarily clear he waved his cohorts past him and backed slowly down the corridor, pistol at the ready.
"What do ya mean ya forgot the green jello, Larry? That's the most important one," Murdock exclaimed "how are we gon' ward off the aliens and zombies without green Jello?"
"Can't we just use the orange?"
"Nooooo, Chuck, we can't just use the orange...no self-respectin' zombie'd be afraid of orange jello. 'Sides that's what we're gon' use for the aliens"
Murdock paced restlessly; he felt the eyes of his team on him. They just had to have the green jello but it was too risky for them to head back out to the kitchen. As it was they had barely made it out of there without being seen. Eight steps forward turn; eight steps back turn. He must have been on the 20th repeat when his eyes landed on the phone.
"Pleeeeeeease Face," Murdock sat on the floor of his closet phone pressed tightly to his ear "But I just gotta have some green jello. The kitchen was out tonight and I've been cravin' it all day. Probably won't be able to sleep all night"
"Murdock, where am I going to get lime jello this time of night?"
"I don't know, Face but if anyone can get it, its gon' be you," Murdock said "I mean you got a pink Cadillac in the jungle, a few containers of green jello oughtta be nothin'. And balloons. Lots of balloons"
"Balloons ...what do balloons have to do with..."
"Please, Face…"
"Alright, alright" Face finally agreed "but it's after visiting hours so it's going to be tricky getting it in to you. Are you sure this can't wait until morning?
"No because the zomb. . .err I'll never get to sleep tonight. It helps steady the purple wobblies when they're at their wobbliest" He held his breath hoping that Face hadn't caught the slip.
"Ok." Face sighed this was not quite how he had planned on spending the evening "Just wait by the window and don't worry if the lights go out for a bit. Oh and Murdock tell the zombies not to worry either."
"See guys, I told you my buddy could get anything" He gestured triumphantly towards the boxes that rested on his night stand. "Now, all we gotta do is…" He started passing out balloons.
Bruno walked along the corridor peeking in the windows and rattling the doors of the various rooms. That brief blackout had spooked him; odd things seemed to happen around the Psyche Ward during those blackouts but so far everything checked out. All the patients were in their rooms. Even that nutso Murdock was where he was supposed to be. So why did he feel like he was being watched.
Murdock adjusted his goggles and double-checked his handiwork before joining Larry behind the sofa in the sun room. The bucket was delicately balanced, all it needed was just the slightest movement from the door for it to come toppling down.
"Target is approaching the 1st set of double doors" Murdock's walkie-talkie crackled softly.
"10-4, Mort...As soon as the trap is sprung me n' Larry are gon' to double back through to your position. The bogie should be hot on our tails. You n' Chuck be ready"
"Roger".
The doors swung open, and the bucket of green jello fell, in the split second before he hit him Bruno screamed "Murdock!" With the bucket concealing Bruno's vision Murdock and Larry beat it through the doors and signaled their second line of defense. They skidded around a corner just as Bruno reached the corridor intersection.
"Now"
Chuck appeared around a corner lobbing jello grenade after grenade in Bruno's direction, while Mort let loose with Murdock's ink pistol.
Bruno, his feet sliding out from underneath, grabbed for the intercom "Paging Dr Strong to the West corridor
1st floor"
"C'mon guys let's make tracks" Murdock called "we got incomin' bogies and we're runnin' low on ammo. . ."
Turning on their heels the 4 patients raced down the corridor to their rooms, Murdock bringing up the rear, long white scarf flying behind him as he took a corner on one foot. He'd barely closed his door and jumped into bed when he heard the muted sound of feet running past.
"Bruno what's the probl. . . . .hey" Ralph's feet hit the first patch of jello and he went sliding into the wall.
"What's going oonnnnn" Maurice went skidding across the hall, nearly flipping over the counter at the nurses' station. The remaining orderlies had been far enough behind and managed to stop before they too ended up scattered across the floor.
"It's that nut job Murdock. He dumped a bucket of goop on me and when I chased him back this way I was ambushed by another couple of loonies."
"Where are they?"
"I dunno. They took off when I grabbed the phone"
"Which way?
"That way" he gestured down the hall with one hand, the other leaving a multicolored trail of jello and ink
on the wall.
Murdock lay perfectly still; a soft and well-practiced snore escaping his lips, his door rattled and a key scraped the lock.
"Are you sure that Bruno saw Capt. Murdock. I've checked his room several times this evening and he's been sound asleep each time."
"All I know is that Bruno swears it was Murdock, how he could tell with a bucket on his head and ink in his eyes I dunno. Personally I think Bruno is paranoid."
Len walked around the bed and turned on the reading lamp, "I just wanna make sure he didn't just stuff his sheets with ..." a muffled snort cut him off as Murdock flopped over in the bed. "Ok I guess he really was here." The nurse, ushering Len out ahead of her reached out and flipped off the lights. 'Sweet dreams, captain"
Murdock counted to 20 before he opened his eyes
In the safety of the men's locker room Bruno shrugged off his filthy scrubs dropping them in the garbage as he headed for the shower. He didn't care what Len and that nurse said. He KNEW that crazy pilot was out to get him. Closing his eyes he turned the shower on full blast and reached for the soap. He never saw the water change to green.
MURDOCK!
Two floors below Murdock settle back onto his pillows, his head resting on his crossed arms.
"Vive la résistance" he whispered.
Fini