June 1964
Aboard the Celeste Marie
Off the Vietnamese Coast
Andy, Yvette, Pete and Jamie stood on the deck of the ship. They had mostly obeyed LeBeau's orders to stay belowdecks, but now that they had finally arrived, they were anxious to see what the area was like, and to get some fresh air. They had kept busy preparing the supplies and the areas they would need for treating and housing the escaped prisoners. They had been fascinated watching the helicopter crews prepare their craft for their mission. They were well-trained and very efficient. Louis had told them that some of the mercenaries he had hired would be going along to protect the crews as well as help with loading the men.
The boys were going to be part of the dust-off crews. Yvette had flatly lost her bid to go along, on two fronts. Louis had threatened to lock her in the ship's brig. He was serious about the matter, and she wasn't sure he wouldn't do it. However, Andy took her for a long walk around the deck after dinner the night before they arrived in the bay, and Yvette was very quiet after they returned. She went to her father, and told him she understood, and would not try to go ashore. She bid them all good night and went straight to her cabin.
The boys spent the evening finishing their preparations for the dust-off. When Pete asked him how he had changed Yvette's mind about going with then, Andy shrugged. "I just explained reality to her."
Pete frowned a moment and Andy smiled grimly. "I told her what could happen to her if she got taken prisoner."
No more explanation was needed.
~HH~
June 1964
The Orphanage
Murdock's eyes were bright as his hands flew over the chopper's controls. The bullet hole in the right side of the windshield seemed not to bother him at all…he was used to them. He had learned to compensate for cracked plexiglass a long time ago. He did feel bad for the pilot, though Murdock supposed the guy was lucky he still had a head to have a headache with…
He shook the rather bizarre train of thought away and looked back to check on his passengers. They had finished loading everyone. The children were wide-eyed and completely silent, as he knew they would be. He looked into the eyes of the little girl closest to him and held out his hand to her. The tears running down her cheeks broke his heart.
Softly, he spoke. "Nó sẽ ổn thôi. Bạn sẽ được an toàn sớm, tôi hứa. Đừng khóc nữa em gái."
He smiled when she nodded slightly and buried her face into Tiger's shoulder. The French spy, who had agreed to come along to help with the girls, looked at Murdock. "What did you say to her?"
He shrugged. "I told her, 'It's going to be fine, little one. You'll be safe soon, I promise. Don't cry anymore little sister.'" His eyes grew dark and sad. "I just hope to God I didn't add to all the lies she's been told all her life."
With that, he turned away from her and went back to readying them for takeoff.
~HH~
Markham shouted when he saw the half-track break through the far edge of the jungle, though it was not strictly necessary. The noise the vehicles were making heralded their arrival, anyway. Apparently, the enemy had decided they didn't like the odds at the moment and had cleared out.
More likely, Hogan thought darkly, they were gathering themselves for an attack somewhere closer to the beach. But for the moment, their small convoy was unopposed, and the group at the orphanage climbed into and onto the trucks where there was room and hiked next to them when there was no more room.
Anton had made sure his mother was safely on board the helicopter and taken a place hiking near his father and Carter. He was still getting used to the idea of having a father, and he was not sure how he was supposed to feel. He admired Hogan…as a leader and all that. He enjoyed talking with him and being around him. He respected him…but as a father? The jury was definitely out on that one.
He watched the way Hogan's men acted around him. Especially Major Carter. It was odd. Because despite the age difference between himself and the major, Carter acted more like a son to Hogan than anything. In some ways, Newkirk treated Hogan like a brother, and yet there was something…a rift, something Anton couldn't quite figure out…between them. Unfortunately, he didn't know either of them well enough to know what it could possibly be.
Taffy sometimes seemed more like an elder statesman, though in reality, he was not much older than Hogan. It was just something in his manner and demeanor. Obviously, the experiences these men had shared back at Stalag 13 had bonded them in a way that Anton would never be able to understand. Anton glanced over at Major Carter as they marched along the trail carved out by the trucks. The man had to be in considerable pain, but you would never know it.
The major was a study in contradictions. There were moments where he seemed like the loopy, carefree boy his mother told stories about from her days with the Underground. There were others where he could seem like a cold-blooded killer if he had to. The man had fooled everyone, including the Germans with his incredible acting skills.
No one had any idea that he was one of three of the deepest cover spies in Germany during WW2. That number included the famous Nimrod, another certain German officer and Major Carter, who at the time, of course, was a tech sergeant. There were others who were not exactly what they were pretending to be…but, then again, wasn't that always the case?
Anton heard the sound of a helicopter overhead and realized the chopper had made it safely out of the garden. He grimaced as he thought about the dangers they all faced. It was going to be a long trip to the beach. It was not that far in miles, but they were in danger the whole way. He looked over at his father. The man stood straight and tall, every inch a general. He was obviously in his element. If anyone could get them out, it was this man. Suddenly, Anton smiled. Yeah. His father could do it.
~HH~
Aboard the Celeste Marie
Off the Vietnamese Coast
Louis LeBeau was a very wealthy man, and a very intelligent one. He also wished to live to be an old wealthy man. Therefore he felt it prudent to take some precautions. He had hired a small expeditionary force to escort his ship into the harbor. The force consisted of three small boats and a squad of extremely skilled and tough mercenaries. Naturally, and not unexpectedly, the United States Army took exception to their presence and sent a patrol to initiate contact. This patrol was led by a rather surly captain. After LeBeau reluctantly granted permission for the party to board, he found himself face-to-face with a tall, reddish-blond haired man who reminded him of a cinema cowboy. The man smirked and introduced himself. "I'm Captain John Smith, though friends call me 'Hannibal.' You the captain of this boat?"
LeBeau stared at the man for a moment. "Yes. I am. We are here on a rescue mission. It has been fully sanctioned by your government. (Okay, LeBeau was not above exaggerating a little when it suited his purposes.) I want no interference from your superiors. There are a number of POWs who are escaping from a Viet Cong prison camp even as we speak. I am going to bring them from here to Tokyo. What happens to them from there is up to their governments. But I promise you, I will be watching. Any one that needs asylum in my homeland, I will arrange for it. I am not without influence, and I will not hesitate to use that influence."
Smith held up a hand. "Look, pal. I am not here to fight with you. I am just here to make sure you aren't pulling any funny business. We got word about your operation a few hours ago. We were also told to cooperate to the extent that we could…which just means we aren't to interfere…but we aren't supposed to help either."
LeBeau frowned at the captain as the man pulled out a cigar and lit it. "What does that mean, then? You would just watch your countrymen be attacked and do nothing?"
Smith grinned around the cigar. "Nope. Just means that's the orders. Now how about you introduce me to this bunch of mercenaries you got workin' for you?" He flashed his canary-eating grin again. "After all, the more the merrier, right?"
Suddenly, this audacious captain reminded LeBeau very much of a certain tall, dark-haired colonel in a crush cap and bomber jacket. Louis smiled. I hope they will get a chance to meet. I think they would like each other. Aloud he said, "Are you not worried what your superiors will say?"
The captain shrugged. "Not really. My orders are to make sure you get out of this harbor. That's what I'm gonna do. The orders said nothing about your cargo." He grinned again. "If they ask about it, I'll just tell 'em we got you and your cargo headed for Tokyo. No sweat."
LeBeau shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Come along, captain…"
~TBC~
A/N: Okay, once Murdock showed up, could Hannibal be far behind? It's too early for Face and B. A. though…seeing as the guys are not a team yet. Sorry.