Chapter 9:

Three months after the crash:

Murdock's shaking badly after a particularly nasty beating. He rocks from side to side listlessly, rhythmically banging his head against the wall. His brown eyes are dully gazing out onto the courtyard. The camp guards don't even see the need to keep him shackled anymore. They know when a man has been broken.
"Billy's coming… Billy's coming… You'll see… He promised…"
The sergeant is practically bursting at the seams from rage and grief. His friend has lost all contact with the world. His only reaction to touch is to shy away in pain and fear, not eating until someone found the energy to feed him…
"Billy's coming… Billy's coming… come on boy…" the pilot gasps shallowly between his words, courtesy of several cracked ribs. Despite the doc's best intentions, he just didn't have the resources to take care of Murdock any longer.
Face had tried so hard to keep him sane, keep him connected to the team, to the reality none of them wanted to face! Even Sergeant Young spent his time taking care of the ailing man. Despite the rocky start between both men*. Between beatings and bouts of lucidity, he'd become more and more lost within his different personas until the real man just disappeared. The pilot had retreated into his mind, lost to the world and his friends including himself. Deep in his heart he knows that Murdock did everything in his power to stay with them. But the feeling of betrayal is slowly poisoning his heart.

Last night, Hannibal had taken all of his remaining team members aside. Told them they might have to leave their friend behind when they attempt their escape. Face had initially been livid, but exhaustion had rather quickly doused the flame of his anger. He'd been sitting with Murdock's head on his lap, gently swaying and brushing his brown hair away from his fevered brow. The pilot had shown no indication he'd heard anything that was being said. He'd just kept jibber jabbering under his breath until the lieutenant gently shushed him. Face eventually conceded and B.A.'s heart broke for the lieutenant. Murdock is just too far gone… No trace of the strong willed man remained in the empty husk being propped up by Face. The lieutenant had retreated as far as he could and cried, his shoulders heaving with silent sobs while cradling his unresponsive best friend in his arms. Even Kowalski and Owens, Murdock's own crew, accepted Hannibal's decision.

B.A. clenches his eyes shut. They are planning to leave Murdock to his fate. The sound of Murdock's ragged breathing is grating on his nerves. Why couldn't the fool just be strong like the rest om them... like him!
"Billy's coming… Billy's coming…"
B.A. has finally had enough. 'Why can't he just shut up!'
"Shut up fool!" He snarls at the pilot through clenched teeth. He grabs the man's black shirt, trying to shake some sense into him, ignoring the throaty moans of pain that escape from Murdock's cracked lips. B.A. gets into his friends face and puts his hands around his throat and squeezes, making Murdock feebly grab his wrists.
"There ain't no dog coming for you fool! Nobody will come for you…!"

Murdock doesn't notice the words that tumble from of his mouth, but B.A.'s blood freezes upon hearing them. He had thought the pilot had forgotten about his most shameful moment. He hated himself for losing it like that back then. B.A.'s fists clench. He remembers the relief that shone in the pilot's eyes when he wrapped his hands around Murdock's throat and started squeezing. He vividly remembers the silent thank you that spilled from his friends lips, his eyes clear for the first time in days. He also remembers the look of anguish that flashed across Murdock's face when the sergeant finally came to his senses and dropped the other man to the floor…
"Billy's coming…" The pilot's weakened voice echoes through his skull.
Suddenly the huge black sergeant sucks in a breath and looks at Hannibal in shock and shame. "Billy's real Hannibal! And I was gonna… we were gonna…" B.A. swallows thickly "leave him… to die." He whispers the last part, trying to ignore his own words. Face flinches visibly, subconsciously taking a step back.
Murdock let's out a high pitched keening wail that leaves him panting and sags against the helicopter. He presses his forehead against the metal, running his long fingers over the white paint. Recognition sends shivers down the teams spines. It's the sound their friend made when H.M. Murdock finally gave up the fight.

Cassidy had somehow run off without them noticing and returned with her father in tow. Jack wheels into the barn just in time to hear the anguished cry rip from the younger man's throat. Even though he'd heard from his daughter what happened, seeing it with his own eyes was something else. He thought the flashback in the kitchen was bad, but this was unlike anything he has ever experienced. He had suffered from flashbacks too when he was shipped back home. A dropped plate could send him right back into the burning cockpit, his legs a mess of screaming agony. The years however had dulled the memories to a bearable degree. The looks on the team's faces tell him they are in above their heads as well.

"Why didn't Howie come fer me…?" Jack's head whips around to look at the pilot. He almost doubts his hearing, because Murdock looks like he hasn't moved a muscle. Looking closely at him however, he sees small tremors running up and down Murdock's limbs. "Why didn't he come fer me…?" His voice sounds ragged, words slurring slightly.
"What?" Jack finally manages to croak out.
"Dammit Major, You lost yer legs not yer ears! Why didn'he come fer me…?!" Murdock whips around, his eyes burning with an intense rage. He stalks towards the man in the wheelchair when he's being intercepted by Face.
"Murdock calm down." Murdock's dark eyes lock onto his and he feels chilled to the bone. Face hasn't seen this side of Murdock since Vietnam and never directed at himself. He had seen the results of that look and the state of the pilot's fists, after backing him up in several bar fights.
"Captain stand down!" If he hears Hannibal's order, he doesn't show it. The situation seems eerily similar to the one after the disastrous mission at Khe Sanh. Face shakes his head at his team members. 'Stay back.' He mouths.

Murdock begins to squint through the growing headache.
"He promised he'd come fer me… Why did your brother leave me in that hellhole!" Face almost loses his grip on the shaking captain when he lunges for the major, his face twisting in aggression.
"You don't know that Murdock." His friend's voice tries to reach him through the fog surrounding his head. The pain is increasing drastically making it extremely difficult to concentrate. His muscles are aching and he feels clammy.
"Like you were any better!" he grinds out his gaze still locked onto the major. Face feels like he is punched in the gut.

At some point during the altercation Danny had moved in front of his father eyeing the pilot with distrust. Jack pushes him aside and tries to look Murdock in the eye.
"Son, don't you remember? You were outnumbered! He had to fall back. His bird was the only one that got out!"
Murdock stops trying to get past his friend. Cloudy brown eyes lock onto the major's green ones. Jack wheels his wheelchair closer to the trembling man. "He searched for you, but you were moved to another site. He never stopped looking for you son!" Jack desperately tries to get through to the pilot. "Murdock, Howie… he… he was killed during a shelling. He died before you were saved… He never knew you were saved!"
A fuzzy memory forces itself to the foreground. The sympathetic face of some nameless nurse telling him that Captain Howard had been killed.
"I'm sorry for your loss..."
Suddenly all fight leaves his body. He sags into the conman's arms hiding his face. The headache has grown to a full blown migraine and the light is hurting his eyes.
"Please Face," Murdock mumbles "I'm jus' so tired…"
"I know buddy." Face whispers into his hair. "I know."
Together they manage to get the pilot back to the house and into bed. Face is silently keeping vigil with his back against the headboard and his legs stretched out on the bed beside his friend. Murdock's face is slack in his drugged sleep. Hannibal watches the duo from the doorway. 'Time to think of a new plan…'

* The Pucker Factor

Story notes and research:
A typical A-team like Hannibal's would have consisted of 6-8 members with various specialties like explosives and ammunition, engineering, medical etc. Now bear with me, because I'm not military. (This is the part where people who are, can laugh at my attempts to make this work) I firmly believe the writers of the show just chose a few ranks to make it look interesting. Having a Lt. Colonel in a special ops group is a bit unrealistic as they usually consist of Sergeants and Lieutenants all of which are experts in their own field. We are just going to have to assume that Hannibal's team was unique in every way. I chose to make it a team with 6 members. Hannibal, Face, BA, Sergeant Young (engineer) and Sergeant Olsen (medic) and one currently unnamed member.

Murdock is an oddball too. Not only because of his rank, but his status as the team's pilot as well. Normally a chopper would be 'owned', fueled and maintained by a ground crew. A pilot would look upon a roster to see which bird was 'his' for the duration of the mission. Since Hannibal's team is unique, I made Murdock's unique too. The units are separated as they belong to different divisions, but work closely together for missions by the team. So, Murdock flies for the A-team, but dustoff's for the 1st Aviation Brigade as well. His crew consist of Petey, Kowalski (gunner) and Owens (chief)