Scattered as the sky
Chapter 2: Spades
Looking at the aircraft in his hands he smiled. Running his fingers along the die cast jet's wings with delicate care. Withdrawing his left hand his right lifting the little jet and it soared in the air above his head banking softly as it came to land on his own chest. He smiled. "Perfect little bird, aren't you?" He was enthralled by the little jet the newest member of his collection. Looking up around the room at the dotted lights he smiled.
The sound of a breath caught him. Turning onto his side clutching the small jet in his palm Murdock smiled. "Morning Face." He whispered softly. The Lieutenant was asleep in a chair at the bedside. The pilot moved quickly but quietly moving his legs off the edge of the bed. Looking at the IV he frowned. "Boss man just had to stick me didn't he?" he kept his voice low and quiet. "I hate leads." He quickly gathered up the plastic fluid filled line.
Setting his little F22 down on his bedside he looked down to address his IV. Pressing his hands to the topside of his skin over the IV he pressed his two fingers down and with his thumb and ring finger managed to pull the catheter free. The small tube dripped saline and blood onto his bed and he shrugged and stood. He made to move out of his room to leave Face alone.
Holding his hand around his forearm until he could find a band-aid.
Hannibal was startled awake. His eyes opened with the sound of the doorknob, and the door opening. Turning he grabbed his gun off the nightstand and pointing it in the direction of the door.
Face burst into the room panic stricken and in a rush. "BOSS!" Panting Face took one look at the gun and turned back into the hall. "DON'T FUCKING SHOOT!" He glared.
"What is it?" Hannibal lowered the gun. Frustration ebbing at the frayed edges of his mood. "You better have a good-"
"Murdock's gone." He cut Hannibal off before he could make to protest. "He tore out his own iv." He held up the F22 in his fingers and into the room.
"Search the house first." Hannibal shook his head turning his legs off the bed "I'm right behind you."
Face nodded "All right, I'm on it." With no other word the Lieutenant was away from that door.
Hannibal took his time and stood up stretching. Turning to face his own mirror he shook his head. "Damn it." He murmured softly unable to keep the curse down. Grabbing a shirt he pulled it over his head and made to help Face search the house.
Hannibal wouldn't get far down the stairs before he smelled it, the grilling meat. Raising a brow he peered into the kitchen to find it moderately clean and empty but the patio door was wide open.
Pushing the door open fully he made to step outside. "What were you thinking!" Face was livid. "You're insane…"
"I was hungry." Murdock said in his own defense. "And you've known me for how long and you just now realize I'm insane? Maybe you should go to the VA there's a nice lady who could talk you through that." He chuckled and turned one of the steaks over on the grill. Hannibal could note the IV spot had a yellow band-aid covering the injection site. "She's got candy."
Face laughed silently to himself and leaned up against the deck rail. "Oh, is that so?" He chuckled "All right so tell me about this nice lady; is she a red head, blonde, or brunette?" Face was being sarcastic but it brought a smile to Hannibal's face as he stepped outside.
"Don't know she changes everyday; she's like Lynch." He spied Hannibal now and nervously kept grilling. When he was nervous Murdock would get cryptic. "You know always changing." He cut into the meat slowly and checked to make sure they were don.
Face shrugged at Hannibal "Well, how does that work out H.M? What's her name maybe that will help you remember what she looks like." He wasn't masking the smug smile. He thought he had Murdock talked into a corner.
"Oh they all have the same name." He pulled the steaks off the grill setting them on a plate. Looking down he found his bottle of antifreeze was gone so he shrugged. "No special sauce then .."
Face nodded "Ok Murdock I'll bite …what name do the women all share?"
Without hesitation the pilot turned on his heels making for the door. "Nurse."
Hannibal chuckled and lit a match pulling his first Cigar of the day to his lips. "He's got a point kid." Murdock could only laugh at him.
Face wasn't amused by the answer. "Don't encourage him boss."
As Murdock turned to enter the home again Hannibal put his arm around the pilot. "Awe kid he flies better with encouragement." Murdock smiled up and nodded slowly at his CO knowing all was well now.
"Wish that worked on B.A." Face snorted leaning over to make sure the propane take was closed and the grill was off before moving to follow them inside.
Breakfast had been quick and filling. Hannibal and Face sat at the table talking. In eyeshot of the two of them Murdock lay upside down on the couch holding the wireless controller for their Xbox. "You know it works better if you sit up for that Captain." He gave Hannibal a nod. "The blood's going to rush to your head."
"Too late…and I fly better like this." He said back eyes not leaving the television.
"You think he's going to be ok boss?" He asked with a concerned tone.
With a curt nod Hannibal smiled. "He'll be fine kid." Leaning back in his chair he chewed his lip a moment. "We need to find B.A." The sentence was laced with concern and Hannibal tried not to let the drain show.
"Yeah I mean Murdock is perfectly fine." He said coolly; garnering a glance from Hannibal. "Ok not perfectly, but he just needs to know that."
Hannibal nodded "B.A. felt he was responsible. He didn't get to Murdock in time, and blames himself because the authorities got to him before we could."
Face nodded "Yeah I get that but it wasn't his fault." His voice was filled with concern.
"B.A takes things to heart…he felt it was his job alone to get to Murdock, he didn't so he's venting…" Hannibal said "I don't blame him for that and neither should you kid. He'll be back, he always comes back."
"Is he going to be ok?" Face shook his head before chugging down the last bit of a tall glass of orange juice. "I mean we're a team boss."
"He'll be fine, if not I have a trace on him." He smiled.
"How'd you manage that boss?"
"You've seen his boots haven't you?" Hannibal smiled "That same pair he's been wearing for ten or so years…it's in the heel of that boot of his." He laughed.
Face blinked and his eyes turned to his converse all stars. "Boss they are inside my shoes aren't-"
With a chuckle he cut the younger man off. "No face…I'm not telling you where yours is."
Murdock smirked "I found mine the first day." He said kicking his feet "TAKE THAT YOU SUCKER!" he screamed at the Television. "GO! GO! GO! YEAH!"
"That flight simulator was a great idea boss." Face grabbed another piece of toast and took a bite. Speaking with a full mouth. His attention diverted to Murdock once more. "Have you died yet?"
Murdock's head shifted slightly "Um…No…not really but these things get over simplified, it makes them so easy." He shifted his legs "a baby could fly this…nothing like the real thing."
Face chuckled and stood moving into the living area. "Oh yeah?" He held out his hand for the white controller. "Let me try this 'a baby could fly this' business."
Murdock passed the controller over and then rolled backward flipping off the couch. He scrambled to sit next to face "Okay Face-man now just understand…"
Face waved a hand and smirked "I got this." He started a new game.
Watching from the kitchen Hannibal chuckled watching the two middle children play on the couch. He had to admit they were sons to him, he would protect them all with his very life. Defend and honor all three of them.
"Try to fly with all that interference it's hard." Murdock was leaned down tying Face's shoelaces together. "Come on flyboy." Murdock was having fun egging him on. "I've seen you fly my chopper like it was a remote controlled plane. You have no grace no style!"
"Murdock you lunatic …stop that." Face laughed and tried to still play with the other man playing pranks on him "Murdock come on quit." He lifted one foot but to no avail he was focused on the TV and the jets flying at him from all sides.
"Those fighter jets will get you…like tai fighters in star wars…spin to the right around come right back at you." He smiled.
Face was stern in his conviction moving the controller with each move of the aircraft on the screen. "NO NO NO!" The small virtual jet was hit twice struck to the ground and rolled into a massive CGI explosion.
Murdock smiled "that was pretty good!" he laughed. "At least you killed him too!"
Shaking his head face tossed the controller and stood.
"Face!" Hannibal held out a hand to stop his Lieutenant but it was too late. Head over feet and feet tied together Templeton Peck went head first into hard wood floors. There was a beat of silence Murdock looked Hannibal in the eye. The older man just shook his head, but he couldn't hide the smile.
Groaning his head turned to the side "DAMN IT MURDOCK!"
Murdock leapt up out of his seat "I'm out of here." He said racing past Hannibal as he entered the living room. Hannibal watched Murdock run for his room, and chuckled.
"You saw him do that…" Standing behind him his CO smirked "Don't let your guard down."
Face shook his head rolling over "Yeah I know…I just don't know why I didn't think about it." Looking down at his body his hand reached up to check his nose that was still throbbing.
"You're at home. Like I said; your guard is down…I get that way too sometimes." He reached down and with one finger pulled out the knot in Face's shoelaces. Reaching up his hand Face grabbed onto Hannibal who helped him up.
"Yeah boss that's why you almost shot me this morning."
"I'm not beyond shooting you." Hannibal said "I've shot Murdock before."
"Yeah but that one was an accident; B.A. now you shot him on purpose."
Hannibal gave him a soft smile but didn't deny the statement. "Try not to kill him." Their hands remained together for a long moment before Face laughed nervously withdrawing slowly.
"Nah…I had t-bones and eggs for breakfast he gets a reprieve." Face dusted himself off. Turning to Hannibal he spoke once more. "Think he's going to be ok?" The hesitation in the air seemed to calm a moment.
"He'll be fine kid he just needs more adjustment time." The cigar came down slowly in his hand "Promise." Patting Face's shoulder Hannibal turned to leave out the patio door.
"Well I guess that settles that…" Face smirked and looked down retrieving the controller he sat back down. "All right if flyboy can do it; so can I. New game."
Days turned into a week and a half and still no B.A. "Alright gentlemen let's move!" Hannibal shouted up the stairs as Face appeared with a smile. "We'll pick up B.A. on the way."
Face held a duffle over his back moving to the front door to drop it. Murdock was in the living room looking under the couch. "Murdock." Hannibal stood holding a pair of converse all stars and a red corduroy hat.
"There you are!" he said standing and moving to retrieve the objects. "Don't do that again. Stay where I leave you." He reprimanded his converse. "And you!" he turned to the hat with a glare. "Don't get me started on you."
Hannibal smiled "Ten Minutes Murdock."
"Alright I'll go warm up the van." Face said grabbing up not only his duffle but Hannibal's.
"Make sure you get the cooler too face." Murdock said looking up "Don't want to get thirsty driving straight through."
"You got it Captain." Face mumbled out, as he backed out of the front door arms full with bags and the car keys held between his teeth.
Hannibal waited for Face to exit before kneeling down beside Murdock. "Captain I need you on this one." He said. "Can you come through for me?"
Murdock's eyes trailed this way and that. He blinked and nodded "I think so."
Hannibal sighed and reached up taking the pilot's face in both hands "Captain, can you come through for me?"
Hannibal froze slowly and nodded. "Yeah, Yes sir." He swallowed slowly. "I can."
The CO could only smile. "Find your optimism again." He withdrew his hands. "You need it and so do we…let's go find B.A." Murdock stood.
Hannibal could see the change in the younger man's eyes. "Sir?"
The colonel waited only a moment, before giving a curt nod. "Go on."
Murdock jumped at him embracing him "Thank you for getting me out of there." It sounded like sunlight through the storms, a rare moment the of clarity for the disturbed pilot.
Hannibal's hand climbed the pilot's back to pet the back of his head. "Its fine…you're fine…you don't need to thank me, not for that, not ever." With a nod the pilot withdrew. "You understand?"
"Yes…" he saluted "Yes sir."
Saluting back Hannibal cracked a smile "Good man." Lowering his arm he smacked the pilot on the shoulder "Come on you can take first shift behind the wheel Ace."
"YES!" He laughed "B.A. never lets me drive his van.
"I know that's why we aren't going to tell him." Hannibal chuckled and motioned Murdock outside. Grabbing up his keys and a smaller bag, he turned looking around before setting the small alarm and leaving out the door after the crazed, but definitely happier pilot.
"HEY FACE!" Murdock lept from the front porch to the grass scrambling up running to the driver side door. "I GET TO DRIVE!"
Face shut the back doors of the van and blinked at Hannibal. "That's," he hesitates only a moment "Great Murdock." Give Hannibal a look that garners him reprimanding look.
"B.A. doesn't need to know Face. Pack it up…we're gone." Hannibal said with a gleam in his eye.
"You look like you're planning something boss." Face laughed taking his bag from him.
"Kid, you're going to learn one day I'm always planning something. Murdock!" He turned and chucked the keys towards the pilot. "Warm her up."
"You got it!" Murdock turned his ball cap backwards and opened the door to climb in.
"We're leaving in an awful hurry boss." Face grabbed his shoulder "Something's wrong."
Hannibal nodded "I'll let you both know on the way. Just get in." He said. Face couldn't argue that, at least Hannibal was honest there was more going on than the Colonel was letting on, but as long as he admitted it Face could wait for the information. Trust, they had it in spades.
