Chapter 4:
Disclaimer: I still don't own the A-Team or Hogan's Heroes .
Thanks for staying with this story.
I've got a beta reader for this story now, Tiny1217, who is a great help and does a really good job.
Any mistakes that remain are of course mine and mine alone.
Only seconds after the first outcry the whole of Barracks 2 was out of bed and ready for action. Colonel Hogan stormed out of his office in only his pyjamas and dressing gown and turned on the light. Soon the source of the shouts became apparent. The wounded Captain lay in his bed, thrashing around wildly, caught up deeply in a nightmare as it seemed. His friend, BA, was already at his side, trying to restrain the lanky pilot, so he might not hurt himself accidentally and muttering soothing nonsense, trying to lead him back to reality. His tries, however, seemed to be futile.
Colonel Hogan didn't know how to pull the young Captain back out of himself. He had plenty of experience with nightmares, he had had to deal with his younger brothers nightmares almost daily for some time and also had had to help some of his men deal with nightly terrors after especially hard jobs. He didn't blame them for it, it was a thing that just came with the job. But out of his experience he also knew that each man reacted differently while having a nightmare. One could only hope to really help those one had known for years. And as it was, the young captain's best shot was his friend.
There was something he could do however. Being surrounded by strangers or a riot in the barracks wasn't going to help the young man. That was why Colonel Hogan sent his men back to their bunks, ordering them to keep their cool. He himself strode over to Sergeant Baracus.
The look Baracus gave him bore nothing of the former hostility but only concern for his friend.
"I don't know what to do," the Sergeant confessed. "Foo's like a little brother to me, but him and Face are like twins! Face's the only one who can get him out of this!"
The pilot seemed to perk up at the mention of his friend's nickname, then started to struggle even more frantically.
Hogan sighed. The young Lieutenant just wasn't available right now and if Captain Murdock kept this up either the light or the screams where going to alert the guards, as incompetent as they may be. When that happened he could only hope it was Schultz they send, for any other guard would report this to Klink. The German Colonel would clearly see it as his own gain and brag about it at morning roll call, embarrassing the poor guy in front of all the guards and other prisoners.
"Just keep on trying", he ordered the Sergeant. This time his order was followed, but nothing changed.
To Hogan's immense relief the guard who entered not much later, was in fact Schultz.
"Colonel Hogan, what is the meaning of this? Lights out was two hours ago, you are going to be in big trouble!" the Sergeant started his rant. But he stopped short, as he saw the small struggling form, held by the big Sergeant on one of the bottom bunks. Murdock's struggles were getting weaker, the pilot having lost his strength and his shot wound had begun to bleed again.
"Colonel Hogan, what is it with him?", the German Sergeant turned to Hogan for advice.
And Colonel Hogan sprang to action. "Schultz, the young Captain is suffering a nightmare. You have to get young Lieutenant Peck for help!", he ordered him.
At first the Sergeant was reluctant, but he had a big heart and couldn't see the young man, suffer, so he finally went to do as he was told.
At Barracks 12 Face was already pacing the floor, halfway ready to try and sneak to Barracks 2.
"Face, you can't just go out there. If this has escaped your attention, we are in a prison camp!"
"But Colonel, Murdock needs me, I can feel it!", Face replied, his hand already resting on the doorhandles.
"Lieutenant!", Hannibal growled, causing Peck to reluctantly let go, only seconds before Schultz waltzed in and demanded Lieutenant Peck to follow him.
Face shot Hannibal a smug look, that clearly said "I told you so," before he stormed after the big guard in worry. Only seconds later he was at his friend's side.
BA scooted aside and Face took his friends shoulder in a firm grip.
"Murdock, buddy, I need you to open your eyes!", he commanded calmly.
In an instant brown eyes shot open, at first unfocused, but soon brown eyes locked into blue, recognition dawning in the haze.
"Face?", the pilot asked in a small voice, looking more like a child than even Carter most of the times.
"I am here", the blonde replied and climbed into bed with his friend, to take him in a gentle, brotherly hug.
Murdock began to shiver uncontrollably and clung onto the young Lieutenant for dear life, but soon enough calmed down. BA then had a look at Murdock's wound, which had thankfully stopped bleeding by now.
An awkward silence fell upon Barracks 2, it's occupants discretely looking elsewhere. They felt like intruders in a private moment between brothers.
Sergeant Schultz turned to leave with the promise to get the Lieutenant back to his own Barracks before roll call, when he was held back by Hogan.
"Schultzie, Klink mustn't know about this!"
It was a sign for how moved the guard was by the scene that he only nodded and after turning the lights back out, left.
Hogan and the rest of his men also went back to bed, none of them was going to mention the incident again. The rest of the night was spent in silence.
Next morning roll call was the same as always, so Schultz really had kept his promise and didn't tell anything. After roll call, while everybody still was out and about Kinch sneaked into the tunnel to check with the radio. Thirty minutes later he came back up, with an important message for the Colonel.
Colonel Hogan and Sergeant Kinchloe retreated in a silent corner, as not to arouse suspicions.
"We've got a message from London, Colonel, a change of plans...", Kinch informed the Colonel and gave him a little note, scribbled on a blue sheet of paper.
"Tell Carthaginian the packet is on it's way. Get it in two days. Cooperate fully.", the Colonel read aloud, a frown on his face.
"London must have gone mad, we don't even know they are who they claim to be!", Kinch complained.
"Yeah and they are not so sure about it themselves", Hogan agreed. "That's why they didn't tell us what's this mission is about!"
"So what do we do?", the black Sergeant asked.
"We do as they say. Surprise is the spice of life!", the Colonel grinned. Kinch groaned:"I am pretty sure that you just made up that saying!"
The Colonel only grinned: "Besides, I have a feeling we have the right team."
That settled Kinch quickly gathered the rest of Hogan's core team and the supposed Carthaginian, while Hogan arranged a distraction, should the need arise.
All gathered in Barracks two, Hogan showed them the message from London.
Hannibal's team wasn't too surprised, that Hogan was in contact with London.
"I already expected something like this, with your no-escape record", Hannibal remarked. "But if we shall be able to complete the mission I have to know exactly how well this organisation is built."
"If you don't mind you should share your mission with us first!", Hogan replied.
"You still don't trust us, do you?", Hannibal grinned. "Good. There currently is a group of scientists from all around the world in the area, who worked on creating an extremely dangerous weapon. The nature of this weapon we don't know. Those scientists want to see their weapon tested in the war. England and America refused and now they are about to try Germany."
Hogan shuddered involuntarily as he thought of a weapon the Allies were afraid to use in the hand of Old Bubble Head...
"Our job is it to bust their meeting and get those scientists to London for interrogation, all of them and alive. We don't know where this meeting may be, but it is sure to be well guarded. We can't force any of you to help, no matter what London says", the other Colonel continued.
"Sounds dangerous", Hogan replied, looking at each of his men individually. Their faces showed no fear, only determination. "You can count us in!"
The Lieutenant Colonel seemed satisfied.
Knowing about the mission, Hogan decided to show the newcomers the whole set-up. He still couldn't be sure that they were who they claimed to be, but if they were, time was running short. There was simply no time for further doubts.
After giving them the grand tour ("Impressive", Hannibal commented), Hogan led them back into his office, it was time to do some planning.
They were about to begin when Murdock spoke up: "Um, Colonel, you don't need me for this one, do you? I was wondering... Billy is getting antsy, I think I should take him for a walk..."
Colonel Smith looked at his pilot in concern. The boy had been awfully quiet today and to request a leave while at a briefing wasn't like him. There wasn't however anything Hannibal could do about it right now. Maybe his pilot only needed a bit of fresh air. "Just make sure he doesn't bother the guards, son", he finally agreed.
Relieved Murdock made his way outside. Face was about to follow him, but Hannibal held him back. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but I need you here."
Face looked a bit cross, but obeyed the order.
As soon as the door closed behind the Captain, questioning eyes turned towards his friends.
"Who is Billy?", Kinch asked.
"His invisible dog", Face replied self-evidently, glaring at them, daring them to say anything against it.
The looks in Hannibal's and even BA's eyes, who always was the first to tell Murdock Billy didn't exist, also made it clear that they would back the Captain up no matter what.
Hogan rose an eyebrow inquisitively at that.
Hannibal sighed: "Billy, is a hallucination that surfaces, whenever Murdock is under great pressure. It helps him cope, you don't need to worry about Billy, he won't get in the way with a mission."
"Good",Hogan was satisfied, after all they were all a bit crazy.
"But I don't think he should be out there alone, he looked kinda lost. With you permission Colonel Hogan, I would like to join him", Carter spoke up.
Colonel Hogan found himself smiling at his youngest team-member, Andrew really had a heart of gold. Nodding, he gave his permission. After that the briefing proceeded without further interruptions.
Carter didn't have to search long before he found Murdock. The pilot was lying behind Barracks two, staring up in the sky, one hand stroking his invisible dog.
The young Sergeant sat down next to him and too started petting 'Billy'. Strangely enough it was almost as if he could see the dog lying there, from the way Murdock moved his arm. Carter had grown up with many animals, but his favourite had always been his dog Benjy. There was no one he could speak to about it in Camp, well maybe Colonel Hogan, but even he wouldn't understand. The things he missed the most -besides his freedom obviously- were the animals. As he sat there coddling the invisible dog he could almost feel it's fur in his hand, the delicate ears and hear the gentle 'flap flap' of Billy's tail on the dry earth.
Was the time in the Camp finally getting to him or was Billy more real than anyone could possibly know?
The two men sat a while in silence each one deep in his own thoughts.
It was Murdock, who finally broke the silence: "Billy likes you", he stated.
"He is a good dog", Carter responded. "What kind of breed is he?"
"Don't know, bit of this, bit of that, I guess. Maybe that's why he came to me, maybe he was too different, didn't fit in, didn't belong anywhere", Murdock replied and Carter got a feeling they weren't entirely talking about the dog anymore.
It was strange, Andrew had always been the youngest member of the team and had suffered of many insecurities himself. Buut now that he was talking to this young pilot, who seemed to have similar problems and thoughts, he felt completely sure of himself.
Maybe it was because he sometimes felt the same, like he didn't really belong here and was sometimes even a danger to his team, that he now knew exactly what to say.
"He has you now and your team! He isn't alone now", he replied. And he realised that it was true, all three of them weren't alone, they had all found a new family in war.
The Captain laughed. "Don't tell that BA, he will probably kill you! He insists, that Billy doesn't exist, but Hannibal and Face, I think they see him too, at least sometimes." He frowned, deep in thought.
They stayed silent for a while, then Carter worked up the courage to ask the pilot about his nightmare.
"You can tell me, you know? There is no need to be ashamed, we all had them (me most of all, he added in thought). Sometimes talking helps."
The Captain looked at him for a while, considering it, then he smiled: "Naw, thanks. I would rather not talk about it, you already helped me a lot as it is."
Carter shrugged.
"Want to walk with Billy and me?", Murdock asked and Carter found himself agreeing.
"You think we can get him to fetch some dynamite from the store room? That would make for a great boom!", Carter grinned manically.
"Sure, being invisible has it's perks!", Murdock too was grinning broadly.
Just like that they both were back to their happy-go-lucky selves. It was like being a child again. At war time. In a POW-Camp in the middle of Germany.
That thought had Carter smile.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review.