Chapter 2: Intruders

After breakfast, Kami and Murdock were busy preparing for the arrival of their guests, who were due to arrive at midday. Craig, Kami's brother and his wife Amanda were also joining them. Kami had just finished getting the team's bedrooms in order and came downstairs to find Murdock in the kitchen, suitably attired in his Marvel Super Hero apron and big floppy chef's hat, frantically scanning several cook books.

"Do you know what you're going to cook yet?" she asked. Murdock had insisted that he should be the one to prepare their gourmet feast.

He looked up from his book, looking slightly flustered.

"Well, I know Face likes pasta – and Hannibal likes fish – it's good for the brain you know." He paused whilst he pondered for a couple of seconds. "Then again, the Big Guy – well he loves his steak and chips. But fear not, Sweet Potato, Murdock's final creation will tantalise everyone's taste buds with the fusion of exotic flavours and colours!"

"Sounds amazing," mused Kami. "Well I'm off to the shops in ten minutes, so if you need anything add it on to the list."

She put the list on the kitchen table and left the room to get her things together. When she came back in to say goodbye to Murdock he was already in full swing in preparing the meal – having obviously decided on a menu. He stopped briefly to engage her in a cuddle and a kiss before her departure.

"Drive carefully, baby," he said. Kami waved back at him as she grabbed her handbag and left the kitchen. She chuckled as she could hear him singing, "The Boys are Back in Town, the Boys are back in Town" quietly to himself.

Half an hour went by and Murdock was so engrossed in what he was doing that he didn't hear three men force their way in through the back gate and stealthily make their way across the garden up to the kitchen. The wore matching camouflage outfits, caps and face masks and all three carried automatic rifles. As they burst through the back door, Murdock was taken completely by surprise.

"Er, guys," he said with more bravado than he felt. "It's customary for visitors to ring the front door bell first!"

One of the intruders came forward and pulled Murdock towards the oven. He pushed him over the heated electric ring on the hob, with inches to spare, and spoke to him in broken English.

"You are very funny, Senor," he said. "But I wonder if you will still be laughing with a 100 degree burn on your face."

Suddenly the men were disturbed by someone opening the front door. The intruder pulled Murdock up and pointed his rifle at him to keep him quiet. They could hear footsteps coming down the hall and Murdock's heart turned cold as he heard Kami calling out to him.

"HM, it's only me!" she yelled.

"Who is that?" whispered the man in Murdock's ear.

"It's only the house-keeper," replied Murdock, anxiously. "Please don't hurt her."

"You'll never guess darling," continued Kami, as her footsteps came nearer to the kitchen. "I've only gone and left the shopping list on the table!"

"Darling!" sneered the man sarcastically to Murdock. "Is she always so familiar?"

Murdock just shrugged his shoulders indifferently. He didn't want to say anything that would give away his feelings to the men.

"Good job I stopped for gas first or I wouldn't have realised …." Kami started to say as she walked into the kitchen.

Before Kami could finish her sentence, the second intruder came forward and pointed his rifle at her. She stopped in her tracks, surveying the situation in horror. She looked over to where Murdock was being held captive, her eyes widening in alarm.

"What's going on?" she demanded. "Why have you come here?"

The intruder who was holding Murdock spoke up in a menacing voice.

"My name is Rafael Fernandez," he said. "I come here to find the man they call Captain H M Murdock. I believe he is a known associate of Colonel John Smith."

"What do you want with the Colonel?" asked Murdock, wondering what Hannibal had done to bring this man to their door.

"I have some unfinished business to settle with him," replied Fernandez. "He took my son's life and now I come for retribution."

"What makes you think that coming after me will do any good?" asked Murdock. He wished he could see the man's face. It was very disconcerting having a conversation with a mask!

"He was prepared to admit to a murder during his own trial to get you off the hook," Fernandez replied in a cold voice. "He must think a lot of you, Senor – enough to die for you in front of an execution squad."

"There must be some mistake," said Murdock nervously. His gut instinct was telling him that he was in a whole pile of serious trouble! "Hannibal wouldn't willingly take the life of another person."

"He killed my son!" repeated Fernandez angrily. "And now I intend to make him suffer. He may have escaped execution, but he won't be so lucky this time round."

He punched Murdock in the face as if to make his point clear.

"Leave him alone!" shouted Kami in distress, moving forward to come to Murdock's defence. However, the assailant who was holding her at gun point, prodded her in the shoulder with the barrel of his rifle in a threatening manner and she froze where she stood looking on helplessly.

Meanwhile the third intruder had been nosing around the dining room, which was attached to the kitchen. He picked up a photograph from the sideboard. It was a recent photo of Murdock and Kami which had been taken at Christmas, looking very cosy and loved-up!

"Just the house-keeper, eh!" he mocked suspiciously, as he held the photo up to Murdock.

Fernandez seemed very interested in the photo.

"I think maybe this is your Senora," he said thoughtfully. "This brings a whole new prospective to things."

Although Murdock couldn't see Fernandez's face, he didn't like the way the tone in his voice had changed. He looked at Kami, anxiously, suddenly fearing for her safety.

"Tráigale!" [bring her], ordered Fernandez.

Kami was dragged forward by the third intruder, whist the other man kept her covered with the gun.

"No! -Wait!" pleaded Murdock, realising that Kami had now become the victim. "Let her go! You came here to take me not her!"

"Ah, but she is so much more pleasing to the eye than you, Amigo," drawled back Fernandez. "Besides she obviously means a great deal to you so no doubt she will also mean a great deal to the Colonel. I will get pleasure out of knowing he will feel guilty when you tell him she has been abducted. But don't worry – I will be touch in a couple of days - once I have left him to stew over what's happened."

As Murdock began to protest, Fernandez rammed the butt of his gun into his ribs, making Murdock double up in pain.

"A word of warning – don't even think about going to the Police or you will never see the little lady again," he continued and then punched and hit Murdock until he fell on to the floor.

"Stop it, please, don't hurt him!" cried Kami, struggling in vain against the man who was trying to drag her away.

"Shut up, Senora!" snarled her kidnapper in a warning voice. "You will come quietly and without any fuss or your boyfriend buys it right here and now!"

Kami looked back at Murdock as she was dragged from the kitchen, anguish written all over her face as she saw him lying motionless on the floor. Fernandez gave him one final kick in the ribs before following his two men out of the house and back down the garden. They pulled off their masks and escorted Kami quickly down the drive and back to the road. They bundled her into a parked car and drove off.