Chapter 3

Outside of the stockade doors, Maggie, Mrs. Baracus and Zowie met up with Murdock. Hannibal and B.A. were seemingly doing okay, but Zowie told them that she was really worried about Face.

"I don't know," she said. "He said he was worried and he's so tense. I told him he should try and eat something and get some rest."

"Facey always had a hard time dealing with stuff," Murdock said. "He has been through hell in that POW camp and he was still a boy at that time. A strong one that is, because otherwise he would never have survived that hell. We were there for him then and we're here for him now and you shall be there for him too. He'll be okay. Trust me."

"I hope so," Zowie said. "I can't lose him. Not now!"

"Oh girl. You won't lose him," Mrs. Baracus said. "We'll make sure about that, won't we Murdock."

"He is so worried that the army will frame them," she said.

"He's got a point there," Murdock stated. "Look. I've been there with them. They're my unit. I was their pilot. I know Morrison gave that order to rob the bank and I also know they would never kill him. Never ever never in a million years. They're trained Special Forces, but they only killed Charlie. I also have the idea that the army wants to frame them. I think somehow they know too much. We just have to find out what it is ourselves. Are you ready to help me out, 'cause I can't do that all on my own."

"I'm in," Maggie said. "I really do want to help John."

"Me too," said Mrs. Baracus. "Anything to save my Scooter and the guys and give them a chance on a normal life."

"You can surely count on me," Zowie said. "I'm not about to let Temp down."

Meanwhile back in the stockade …

The doors to the private rooms were unlocked and they guys were escorted back to their prison cell in the stockade. Hannibal immediately noticed how tensed his Lieutenant looked. As soon as they were in their cell, Face walked over to his bed and lay down on his back staring up at the ceiling. B.A. and Hannibal shared a worried look.

"Hey, kid.?" Hannibal asked his Lieutenant. "Everything alright between you and Zowie?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Face answered still staring at the ceiling. "I loved to have her close to me for three hours. The hard part was letting her go again."

Hannibal and B.A. got the message.

"So what else's eatin' you," B.A. asked. He knew Face long enough to know that something was wrong.

Face sat up at the edge of his bed burying his head in his hands once again. Hannibal sat beside him and patted his back as to encourage him like a father would do.

"I don't want to die," he said barely above a whisper. "For the first time in my life, I'm genuinely scared. It's hard to admit it out loud, but it's the truth. I don't want my life to end. Not now! Not with me and Zowie …"

"I know, kid. I know. And neither do we," Hannibal tried to comfort him. "The trial is not over yet. We might figure out what's wrong or manage to get out of this place somehow by ourselves. Heck, we did it once before, right! We're the A-team, son. We've been through worse together and still somehow made it out. We'll do it again. That's for sure!"

"Yeah man. It ain't over yet. Don't lose hope, littl' brother. Gotta stay strong," B.A. said softly.

"I want to. Believe me. I do. But it's so damn hard right now. I don't know what I'd do without Zowie. I know we haven't been together that long, but she's special. What we have is something ... I … I just can't explain …"

"You know what, son. I think you're really in love this time," Hannibal stated.

"Yeah. I guess so …," Face answered him.

"Damn right," B.A. muttered. "Ain't it 'bout time too. Won't have to ask crazy fool no more about all them ladies you was datin' 'cause it was hard rememberin' all of them names."

"You can't fall apart now, kid," Hannibal said. "That's exactly what they want. I'm pretty sure they want to put you on the stand. That prosecutor will try to make you look guilty as hell stating you are the team's conman. By now, they probably found out that you forged your own entry papers to get into the army. And surely they have a list of all your 'accomplishments' as a supply officer during 'Nam."

"I don't stand a chance, do I?"

"Sure you do, kid. We believe in you and you've got to believe in yourself. That's all!" Hannibal re-assured him.

"But Hannibal …"

"Face, trust me. What you did during the war was merely follow orders and I bet you wouldn't be the first young man to have forged his way into the US army. It's okay! You just need to stay calm and focused. He has nothing to pin on either of us so far. Besides, you don't think Murdock will let his best buddy be convicted knowing fully well he's innocent, do you."

"We got to stick together. Like a family," B.A. said. "We ain't gonna let you down, Face. You hear me! We'll help you through this."

"Thanks, guys. I really needed that."

"Anytime, littl' brother," B.A. said.

"That's what family's for, my boy," Hannibal answered smiling and softly patting Face's shoulders once more. "Now will you be able to eat something and get some sleep tonight?"

"Don't I always?"

"I can see right through you, remember? Don't try to con me, Lieutenant. Now what about that, huh?" Hannibal asked smiling.

"Yes, Colonel. I'll eat something and I'll try to get some sleep."

The next day the prosecutor again tried to convince the jury that the A-team was acting on their own behalf and were a murderous gang, but he couldn't prove a single thing. Mr. Conway came well prepared as well and knew just how to counter every attack. The prosecutor really had it in for the young Lieutenant and he kept on trying to convince the jury that he was indeed nothing but a liar. But Hannibal and Face had had long talks and the Colonel had prepared his second-in-command well. He appeared to be perfectly calm and composing whenever the prosecutor tried to provoke any kind of reaction from him. It drove the prosecution crazy!

Meanwhile, Murdock, Maggie, Zowie and Mrs. Baracus paid close attention to what was being said and Murdock and Zowie even took notes. Those notes would be handy during their own investigation of the case. Zowie, however, had notified Mr. Conway what they were trying to do and he was again very impressed. Although he actually didn't believe the guys were innocent at first, he gradually started to see them in a different light. Colonel Smith was able to keep an ill-tempered Sergeant Baracus under control at all times and he had also witnessed him calming his Lieutenant down. He also loved the determination of Captain Murdock to prove his unit's innocence and so Mr. Conway started to gradually believe in the team's innocence all together. They weren't too fond of using violence, but sometimes were forced to use it to protect the innocent.