Chapter Three: Technical Difficulties
May 18th
11:09 a.m.
The smell of exhaust enveloped Murdock as Face pulled the 'vette from the curb and merged into the mid-day traffic.
Tugging at the bottom of his bomber jacket, he turned and sauntered down the sidewalk nonchalantly, slowly closing the gap between himself and the large building on the next block.
"Home again, home again, jiggity jig." he muttered under his breath.
A lithe blond smiled at him in passing and he followed her with his eyes appreciatively.
"Still, thing's aren't all bad. Nice weather. Nice view." The blond turned a corner and was lost from sight. "It'll be good to sleep in a bed instead of the van for a change."
Running into Dr. Richter on his way in was a bit of a surprise. "Nyah, what's up, Doc?" he shot out amiably.
"Well, well, if it isn't our most wayfaring patient. How was the, " he paused with a significant look, "experimental therapy convention, or was it a family reunion, or an emergency debriefing of all Vietnam chopper pilots currently under the care of a psychiatrist."
Murdock smirked. "Went great, except they made me wear a tie. I didn't even get one with cartoon characters on it. What kind of tie doesn't have cartoon characters on it, Doc?!?"
Richter returned the smirk. "Well, we're just glad to see you back, safe and sound."
"Don't know whatcher talkin' about, it's not like I do anything INTERESTING when I'm away."
"Hmmm mmmmm." Richter nodded. "I'll be seeing you later, you missed a session yesterday that I want to catch up on."
"No worries, I'm just gonna go grab me some grub while the grubbin's still good."
"I don't know about 'good', I saw what they're serving today and opted for take-out instead."
Murdock laughed. "As long as it's not their infamous Bisc-shits and Gravy, I think I'll survive."
Richter raised a hand and tapped his nose with a finger.
"Uh oh. I think maybe I'm not that hungry after all. I'd like to live long enough to find out what's for dinner." He patted his belly. "Besides, I've got to lose some of this flab."
"Murdock, you lose any more 'flab' and you'll be able to turn sideways and disappear."
"Dunno, I think that might be a handy trait to have once in a while."
Richter chuckled. "Two o'clock in my office. Don't be late."
"Ten-four good buddy."
Taking his leave, Murdock turned right instead of left, heading back towards his room and giving the cafeteria as wide a berth as possible.
It was just past his ward's nurse's station that raised voices caught his attention and caused him to detour.
"Danger, Will Robinson." he quipped. "Someone's woken The Mammoth again."
The mammoth in question had cornered the newest nurse in the break room, and she, apparently, didn't find his over-muscled and over-testosteroned bulk nearly as interesting as he apparently thought she should.
"Everythin' okay in here?"
The Mammoth whipped around and glared. "Everything's just fine, go find a toy train to play with or something."
"Sorry, my choo-choo has a loo-loo of a boo-boo. There any duct tape 'round these parts?"
The nurse shoved a huge paw off of her backside and squirmed away. "I think there's some at the main desk. I'll be right back."
As she disappeared through the doorway, the lanky pilot sized up the man in front of him.
The Mammoth glared at him menacingly. "Just got back, huh?"
"Yup, waltzed in the door just in time to see your latest oscar-winning performance. The part where you implied that you'd make her working hours miserable if she didn't let you feel her up was particularly inspired."
The larger man made a grab for him, but Murdock dodged him deftly, stepped to the side, putting the table between himself and his attacker, and slipped into a pompous British accent. "Now, now, good man, surely you're not going to endanger your livelihood by taking out your petty frustrations upon a patient. It would simply never do."
A scowl was the closest thing he got to a witty retort.
"After all, someone as absolutely abrim with charm and tact as you should have no difficulty gently wooing the fairer sex."
Without warning, The Mammoth grabbed the table and flipped it aside, where it landed with a crash in the doorway. With the barrier removed and his exit effectively blocked, Murdock was able to dodge the next few blows and land one solidly himself before he was grasped forcefully by the front of his jacket and pinned against the wall.
"Hey, you don't think anyone's gonna notice broken furniture and a patient in the infirmary?"
"You've got this bad habit of coming back from these little vacations of yours looking worse than when you left. Who's to say you didn't arrive sporting a few new bruises?"
"Richter saw me on the way in."
"That just means I gotta keep 'em where they wouldn't have shown."
The sound of pounding feet echoed in the hallway and The Mammoth released his grip and stepped back.
"What's going on in here?!?" shouted the orderly who was staring at the two from amidst the wreckage in the doorway. "Sheila just came up to the main desk demanding to be transferred to another wing, I haul my cookies down here to make sure the station's being manned, and I find the break room torn apart. What gives?"
"Nothing. Patient's wandering out-of-bounds and got a little violent when I asked him to leave the break room."
"Patients aren't allowed in here, sir, you're going to have to go back to your room."
Murdock glared at the hulking mass that stood at his side. "No problem, was just on my way out."
The Mammoth grinned unpleasantly. "We'll talk about this later, Murdock. Be a good boy and let this nice man see that you get tucked in safe and sound." The left side of his smile ticked. "See you around."
"I'll make sure to pencil you into my appointment book."
Shoving the table out of the way, Murdock followed the decidedly annoyed orderly down the hall and stalked into his room. The click of the lock just added insult to injury.
He pressed his fingers hard against the bridge of his nose and sighed.
"It's gonna be one of those days."
Author's Notes:
Ah, nothing like coming back from a mission where you risk life and limb to save people's asses just to find yourself risking life and limb to save someone's ass. The fun just never stops.
Needless to say, we'll be seeing more of our charming behemoth of an orderly as the story progresses.
I want to give a shout-out to my first (and so far, only) reviewer, Cap'n Awesome! Keep an eye out for an upcoming therapy session, Cap'n, I think you might find a little treat in there.
Coming up next: Murdock and Richter have a little chat about friends and foes.
Coming up soon: The Mammoth rears his ugly head again and Murdock holds a conversation with some roofing tiles.