Disclaimer: I do not own, nor did I create, any of the A-team characters (main or support) nor do I own, nor did I create, any of the episodes. That credit is due to Stephen J. Cannell and his associates. Any familiar catch phrases also belong to the Cannell team.

Abels 1,2,3,4 etc is Cannell's method for referring to the body guard agents Stockwell would assign to watch the A-team and enforce his control.

Chapter Spoiler Alerts: None needed for this installment.

Chapter Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoy this chapter and thank you all for reading my story.

Please note info at end of this chapter

Chapter Summary: The A-team is on the lam ...again.

Chronicles of a Colonel: by LAGC

Chapter Four - Tearing Up the Tar

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"I can't believe that my dad doesn't tell me any of this." Rachel gasped.

"Your dad doesn't dwell on the past. He has a gift for focussing on the present." I explained

"Papa? Was it frightening? Ya know escaping, knowing Stockwell would chase you."

"Truthfully, at that exact moment, it felt empowering with a chaser of déjà vu." I answered.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

BA sped off. We kept to unmarked back roads or sparsely traveled rural routes. I remember wishing that the van wasn't so unique looking and that maybe we could loose the red details. I decided to ponder that a bit more before I brought it up to BA. Besides it would be dark soon and that would help camouflage the van.

To pass some time I asked Face and Murdock how they pulled off their salmonella scam. Face was going to pull his "trade secrets" act, which actually made me smile because it meant that my conman was regaining his sense of self. Murdock bubbled up with the answer though.

"Aw it was really simple, Colonel. Ipecac syrup. I took a small dose when I targeted Frankie. Then I took another dose for my display for Stockwell."

"What about the times in between. I was actually concerned that you'd get dehydrated." I asked.

"Oh those were fakes. Just a lot of noise on my part and Face acting like he was helping to clean up. If I'd really been hurling all those times I'd have been too compromised to be ready for our escape. " my Captain explained.

"Nice guys, nice." I replied.

We crossed the state line in about two hours then BA asked,

"Ok Hannibal, we're in West Virginia. Did you have a destination in this plan of yours when you told me to head here?"

"Yes Sergeant, you know I always have a plan." I jauntily replied. BA rolled his eyes but kept listening. "We are aiming for a little town just west of here. Elkins. There is 24 hour storage place there."

"Storage, Colonel?" questioned Face, "What do you have stored there?"

"There isn't much room left in the van, Hannibal. Too much more stuff and I'll have to sit in BA's lap." Murdock teased.

"You will NOT Fool. I'll tie you to the hood like a deer first." responded the Big Guy.

"No worries guys. It's a small package. It's a binder with all our contacts and allies from our pre-trial days. All the information I didn't want on the Compound." I explained to the Team.

"Ah good planning Colonel." said Face as I donned a quick disguise. The same one I had used when I first rented the unit - Clayton Hillbrick. A dapper, if a bit out of date, Southern gentleman rancher.

"I'll be back in five. Keep the engine running BA." I said as I left the van.

I was true to my word. It took less than five minutes to go into the facility, avoid the surveillance cameras, locate and empty my small storage box. I handed the binder file to Face as I entered the van. As soon as I was seated and gave him our new heading, BA drove off. Face was flipping through the file. He nodded appreciatively a few times.

"Wow, Hannibal, I didn't know you kept such good records." he commented.

"Well like I've said before remembering your enemies enables survival, but remembering your allies facilitates survival."

We kept driving westward for the rest of the night. When BA finally had to admit that he needed to sleep, Face took over the driving for a few hours. Murdock eventually relieved him. I caught the occasional cat nap.

By dawn we were in Murray, Kentucky. The next couple of days were pretty much a repeat of drive all night and lay low during the day wherever possible. Luckily since we were sticking to the back roads and byways there were plenty of wooded alcoves to duck into and set up small day camps. And with all the supplies the guys had been able to gather, we needed minimal interactions with the people in any of the town's we passed through. Our trail was faint and hopefully unnoticeable.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Ipecac Syrup

Ipecac syrup was once widely recommended for inducing vomiting, but American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Poison Control Centers and some other poison centers now advise against using it because of its unproven efficacy in removing toxic substances from the body and several possible side effects, such as lethargy, especially in children (2,3,12,13)."

Info from: eHealthStar -Evidence Based Health Articles