Chapter 10:

Murdock fights to keep himself from skipping all the way to the helicopter parking ramps. After a week of being grounded, he can't wait to be up in the air again. Granted it's supposed to be a milk run, but he's dying to put his new bird through its paces. 'Get a feel for 'er… Hannibal can't fault him for that now can he? No, I distinctly remember NOT hearin' Hannibal say anythin' like that. No siree.' Murdock can't help but skip at that thought. With a grin on his face and a spring in his step he rounds the corner of the first revetment and stops. Before him stands a brand new Huey with what looks like a big red bow taped to the nose. Snowy and Tennessee are leaning against it with wide matching grins. Murdock takes a moment to take it all in. He slowly circles the bird, reverently stroking her metal skin with his fingertips. No patches, no bullet holes, nothing… 'I got me a virgin!' He ducks under the tail boom to the other side and notices a message scribbled on the lady's derriere in white paint.

SAY IT WITH BULLETS

Murdock throws his head back and laughs heartily. Tears of happiness form in the corners of his eyes and he hastily brushes them away before moving back to where Snowy and Tennessee are waiting for him. Murdock notices a third guy hanging around his bird. Following the captain's gaze Tennessee moves to introduce the man.
"Captain, meet yer new copilot."
The young man snaps off a salute that Murdock automatically returns. He has a handsome young face with dark hair and even darker eyes. He exudes an air of calm and stability, even though Murdock is taking his sweet time to check the guy out. He doesn't seem to be in the least bothered by the flitting movements that are so characteristic of the captain. Liking what he sees, Murdock extends his hand in greeting.
"I'm H.M. Murdock, and you are?" The man grabs his hand in a good solid grip.
"My name's Peterson sir. Pete Peterson."
Murdock stares at the guy, suppressing a snort, before blurting out: "Pete Peterson?! God, whatever were yer parents thinkin'!" The captain really tries to keep from laughing, but it's taking everything he's got. The copilot smiles, used to these kinds of reactions.
"Yeah, not my first choice either sir. But you can call me Petey if you like?"
"Yeah, that'd probably be the best." Murdock schools his features into something more captainy. "Welcome on board kid. Get the bird ready, I'll be right up." Petey nods and gets in the chopper to start on preflight checks. Murdock turns to Tennessee. "What happened to Baby?"
Tennessee shrugs. "Las' thing I heard, he's flyin' out today." The pilot nods and shrugs. Things are out of his hands anyway. Murdock climbs into the pilot's seat and starts the engine while Tennessee locks the cockpit doors and gets in as well. As the engine warms up it starts to whine. The rotor blades are slowly beating the air gaining speed on every rotation. It doesn't take long for the rotor rpm to get into the green and Murdock and Petey perform their last checks. He winks at the copilot and looks over his shoulder at the two men sitting behind them. Getting a thumbs-up, Murdock sharply pulls up the collective and the bird leaps into the air. The feeling of being airborne again is making a mighty howl bubble up from his throat and he lets loose. "Woohooooooo!"
As he gets up to cruising height, the captain hears laughter coming from the headset. He smiles and looks to his left.
"So Petey… Have ya ever heard of the Bang Stare Red Theory? It states that the louder the sudden bang, the quicker yer eyes will be drawn to the gauges. The longer ya stare at the gauges, the less time it takes 'em to move from green to red…"

Hannibal and Face watch the liftoff from a distance. Face is sitting on some crates with his leg propped up on his crutches. They both smile, imagining the pilot's excited howl as the chopper almost literally leaps into the air. They keep an eye on the chopper until it's completely out of sight. Knowing something's up the lieutenant turns to Hannibal. He fishes a nice cigar out of his pocket and hands it to the colonel. Hannibal takes his time to enjoy the smell of good quality tobacco before biting of the end and lighting it.
"Nice." He moves to sit beside the lieutenant and looks pensively across the airstrip.
Face hadn't been a happy camper when he figured out he'd been set up. Hannibal had known the lieutenant would try to leave the hospital the minute their backs were turned. And it also didn't take a genius to know where, or rather who he would go to first. It took some prodding, but Hannibal eventually got the gist of what's been going on with their pilot. 'Must be hard on the kid. Having no one to return to, back home…' Hannibal sighs. Ray had advised him not to keep the two of them separated. Face is Murdock's crutch as much as Murdock is Face's. If he didn't know better he'd say they got separated at birth… 'Now about Ray…'

"What's on your mind colonel?" Face looks at him and Hannibal matches the lieutenant's stare, two sets of blue eyes clashing. It seems that Face hasn't quite forgiven him yet. That's the burden of leadership for you. A great the tactician uses every advantage he can. Even the less savory options.
"Ray will be going home." The colonel breaks the tense silence. The younger man visibly recoils and hides it by casually leaning back on his hands. He and Ray have bonded deeply over the past few months and losing the major's guidance will be a difficult pill to swallow.
"Oh…?" Face looks bored, but the colonel can tell he has the blond's complete attention. "Are you going to bring someone in?" Hannibal nods. Having the team at full strength is key to their success. After pouring over file after file, he realized there is only one option that would work. He needs someone who dares to question his decisions. Who isn't afraid to play devil's advocate.

"Sergeant Suarez will be joining our team."
Face nods, his face a mask of indifference. He had heard about Suarez, he would be a great asset to the team. Suddenly, something clicks in his head.
"Wait a minute… that leaves me as the second highest ranking officer?" Face looks at his CO, his blue eyes wide open in surprise. "You want me as Second in Command?"
Hannibal puts his hand on the lieutenant's shoulder and grins around his cigar. He'd been thinking about this for some time now. Though the kid isn't an experienced officer, he had shown time and time again he could make snap decisions and plan ahead. He has the potential to grow into a great leader and Hannibal is willing to give him a proper shot at it.
"I know you won't let me down kid."

He pats Face's shoulder and leaves him sitting on the crates with a stupid grin on his face. Spotting Ray, he walks over to him and wraps his arm around the major's shoulders.
"Don't you love it when a plan comes together?"