Chapter 10

Meanwhile Face had limped all the way to the MARS station at the far end of the base. This one was run by the 5th special forces Nah Trang. The signboard said 'Voice of the green beret', their very own people and not the marines for a change. This should have made things very easy had BA not picked a fight with just this MARS guy over a call that didn't go through to his mother at her birthday. He hoped his arrangements had worked and he was ready to talk to him, last time he had told them in no uncertain terms that none of them should ever come back to his station after they had pulled BA off of him.

About ten guys were waiting around but he knew the waiting list would be much longer. They would write their name and come back from time to time to check the progress. If he now put BA's name there he would probably get to call his mother in about three days. As he passed the guys standing around to get to the door he was held back by his collar.

"Hey Peck, where do you think you're going? We're all waiting to go inside, put your name on the list and get lost."

"I don't want to make a call, just talk to the guy."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Look, I'm just here to talk to him. I won't even get near the radio, you would hear that anyway."

"You're not getting past us so easily, we've all been waiting for long. How about you show up with a beer for each of us and we'll let you pass."

'Oh man' Face run a hand through his hair. He had expected trouble inside but not outside too. "Which of you is the last to go?"

A young sergeant stepped forward. "That would be me."

"Can you do me a favor pal? I just came from a mission and I'm real tired, twisted my knee too and just came out here to check something for a friend. I'm really not up to limping all the way back to the Mess tend and carrying a crate of beer here. Can you go for me? Just ask for Frank he'll give you a whole crate and put it on my tab."

The guy eyed him. He really looked worn out and they didn't have a beef with him. They just wanted to take advantage since he was known to organize everything in no time.

"Okay, no troubles. Hey Bob, join me." Together they left and Face was allowed to pass.

His arrangements had worked to the extent that the guy knew he was coming and was willing to talk to him, but nothing more. He had received a whole box of whiskey as bribe and that was just enough to allow the members of the A-Team back on the waiting list, nothing more.

"Look, I told you I need the call tomorrow at five in the afternoon, some minutes here and there won't matter but it has to be around that time."

"Just put your name on the waiting list, you'll see where it ends, maybe if you get lucky you'll have your call around that time…if you can convince about half the people on the list to let you have your call first."

"I had someone contact you days ago, let's just take that as having put my name there in time, okay?"

"If you had put your name there by the time the guy contacted me and brought the booze, hmmm, lets see….ahhh, your call was due about two days ago, sorry pal, you're late."

"Oh come on, let's negotiate a price, tomorrow at five for 15 minutes, I know we can come to an agreement."

"15 minutes?"

"Yeah, that's enough, I really don't want to use more of your precious time."

"15 minutes, are you nuts? Everyone gets 5 minutes and you know that."

"Just put my name there along with BA and Hannibal, that's 15 minutes then and you don't even have to reconnect, just one connection, you even get to have a 15 minutes break, come on man."

"That's just not possible, how am I gonna explain to the ones waiting?"

"I'll do the explanation, you know I can."

"That's gonna cost you."

Now that was a step in the right direction.

"What do you want?"

"You're a second lieutenant…and from tomorrow a first…tell you what, I want one month salary worth for a first lieutenant."

"One month? How do you think I'll get that amount of money? Come on, something else, what about new boots or cigarettes or chocolates or whatever you want, I'll get it."

"Then get me the money. My wife's gonna give birth next month, we can use every cent."

"You really want 486 Dollars for a call? I can't get that much money up to tomorrow."

"Are you kidding me? Tomorrow is pay day and you're five people, just put some money together, it's no big deal."

Face knew when he had lost and he was kind of glad the guy didn't ask for the allowances in addition to the basic pay, that would have made things impossible. "So you're saying if I show up with the money you'll connect him and let him talk for 15 minutes?"

"That's the deal, if the connection doesn't get cut earlier that is."

"And if that happens?"

"I'll make the connection and then he has 15 minutes. If it cuts and I have to connect again that's his problem, it doesn't increase his time."

"Okay, deal."

They shook hands and Face left the place. He went away a bit and then sat down on a barrel. 'Damn, those calls are supposed to be free, I can't very well ask the guys to give their money for it. Hannibal will think I can't get my job done. Bad enough that I have to ask them to pay for the hotel. How do I get that amount of cash.' He had planned to pay for the hotel himself as his gift to BA and had that money ready but now he would need it for the call. And it wasn't nearly enough. The guy was right, tomorrow was pay day but he had an arrangement that only 50 Dollars went his way and the rest straight to Father Maghill. He couldn't disappoint the kind priest, especially now that Christmas was close. Initially the priest had asked him why he was sending all his money and that he was going to keep it for Face, so Face had made up a story that he had told others about the orphanage and it wasn't all his money but a donation from a lot of soldiers. That had made the priest proud and Face feel so bad. He had lied to the man and it was a sin, but then again killing was a sin too and he was doing so almost daily out here, what was a little lie. The kids were more important than his morals. And they were more important than BA's call, but that call had to come on too or Hannibal would think he's a looser. Face sight, he had some 75 Dollars left that he had saved to buy the guys some Christmas presents and then the 50 he had planned to use for the hotel rooms. He was too tired tonight to concentrate on gambling so that was out of the question. Earlier he had made arrangements for a three day pass for each member of the team. He needed only tomorrow so he could actually sell his two days and then there were still some people who owed him. If he collected most of it he should get enough money together. Maybe he could also borrow a little from somebody but he didn't actually have close friends outside the team. And borrowing from someone on the Team wasn't an option, he would have to explain why he had no money on pay day.

He slowly took off toward the office he was going to pick the three-day passes from.

"Hi Oliver."

"Hi Face."

"Do you have our passes ready?"

"No, you said you would come for them tomorrow morning."

"That's right, can I make some changes? Can you change mine to one day and my other two days get someone else's name on it?"

"Hmm, well…oh don't turn this look on me, okay for you I'll do it. Who's it gonna be?"

"I'll tell you in 30 minutes. Bye." Face turned and left, leaving behind a baffled looking Oliver.

Face went straight to the Mess Tend to pick out his 'victim' of the day. Those that had a pass to leave base the next day usually showed off there and any guy who looked jealous enough was a potential customer. Face watched for only about 10 minutes until he had made out his man.

"Hey pal, you look like you could use some company."

"No kidding man."

"Why are you hanging out alone, where's the rest of your platoon?"

"Over there, the guys with the day passes. Today's just not my day. Got a letter from my girl saying she was tired of waiting and moved on. Of all the people she went for my cousin. I mean, I'm gonna meet them every Christmas, Easter and other family meeting."

"That's tough."

"And as if that's not enough for a day, all my buddies got day passes and I didn't apply for one. Wanted to stay on base to call my girl tomorrow, would have been our anniversary."

"Damn. They don't appreciate what they've got. I've been trying to get a phone installed at my mother's apartment so I can call her but I never get the money together." That was as close to the truth as it would get. If he had a mother he would of course do so.

Within a short time they were done negotiating and Face had sold his pass for 250 Dollars. He went back to give the details to Oliver who promised to get everything ready and signed by the next morning and then went in search of people who owed him little favors he could cash in or actual money.

As he limped back to their tent around midnight he had made arrangements that promised him to have 500 Dollars in cash by noon the next day. He was asleep before he even laid down properly.

The next morning, some people would call it night, BA was up before anybody else. He made enough noise to make sure all others were up within minutes.

"BA, what in the hell possessed you to make such a noise. Can't a guy get some sleep around here?"

'Definitely a death wish.' Hannibal thought and decided to intervene seeing the look on BA's face that was a clear indication for a soon to follow 'speech' with his fists. "Face, don't you have some last minute arrangements to make and need to be up anyway?"

Why couldn't they just all leave him alone? "And what do you suggest I arrange at four in the morning while my …ehhm…business partners are still asleep?"

"Victims you mean." Ray couldn't resist to throw in while stiffening a yawn himself.

"You mean to tell me you haven't done all the arrangements for my promotion today?" BA had drawn Face up by the collar and was nose to nose with him.

"Actually big guy, Face too…." Murdock wanted to intervene but Face cut him off.

"Sorry I was busy staying alive in a damn jungle." He spat. "Feel free to kill me but then you have to sleep on your bunk tonight. You better wait until I got you your darn hotel room."

"Nobody talks to me…."

"Sergeant, enough, put him down, now."

"Hannibal…"

"I said now. Do you want to receive your promotion from behind bars for slugging an officer?"

That did the trick. BA put him down, but not without a shove that made him fall back on his bunk. He then grabbed his towel and marched out of the tent.