Disclaimer: I don't own the A-Team and I make no money from this.

Chapter 34 Contingencies and Counterproposals

"Tired, sugar?"

Murdock looked down at Syd, who was yawning widely. Glancing up, he caught Face's eye and they both grinned.

"I am a little tired," she admitted.

"You mean a little wasted," Face teased.

Murdock laughed when Sydney stuck her tongue out at Face. She then wrinkled her nose at him. She pouted.

"I didn't have that much to drink."

"Naw, you didn't," Murdock agreed. "But it sure is fun to tease ya 'bout it."

"Amen," Face said.

Sydney glanced first his way and then Face's, her expression questioning. "So it sounds like Hawaii is a go… at least for you guys."

It took several seconds for Murdock's shock to wear off enough for him to think clearly. He had hoped to avoid mentioning Hawaii until Kate could get Syd to agree to the plan, but obviously that wasn't going to happen.

Face was already responding, his tone belligerent. "Hannibal told ya, huh? Lewis is being a total prick, and Morrison is enabling it. Fuckin' pisses me off."

"Hannibal isn't real happy about it, either," Sydney said. Her gaze settled on Murdock, intent. "And he's worried that you're up to something to get around it."

Murdock shoved his hands in his pockets and avoided looking directly at her. Damn Hannibal sticking his nose in, anyway.

Crossing her arms, Sydney asked directly, "What are you up to, Murdock?"

"Nothing."

It came out flat, and he knew it hadn't sounded sincere. He figured Syd wouldn't buy it anyway, and her response confirmed it.

"Bullshit." She cocked an eyebrow at Face. "How about you, Face?"

Face held up his hands. "Nothing. Really. If Murdock's up to something, he hasn't clued me in. I swear."

The irritated and hurt look that Face flung at him over Syd's head caused Murdock to sigh internally. This was really fucking with his plans.

Recognizing that they were quickly approaching Syd's quarters, Murdock threw caution to the wind and started putting his and Kate's plan for engaging Syd into action. Kate would be able to answer Syd's questions while Murdock answered the ones he could see burning in Face's eyes.

He gave Syd a cajoling smile. "You know, I can hear the waves beckoning. Almost like the beach is calling."

Syd stared at him narrowly for several seconds before giving a nod. "It is still early, and we do need to talk. Why don't we go down there for a while?"

"I think that's a good idea," Face said. "I could even run get the bottle and we could really get wasted."

Murdock threw a desperate, quelling look at Face. The conman's confusion was almost comical.

"Uh, actually, Face and I can't join you. Not tonight. We got that thing we gotta go do. 'Member, Faceman?"

Face gaped at him, but Murdock figured he went along out of habit. "Uh, oh, yeah. That thing."

In that same moment, Syd muttered, "Shit. What's she doing here?"

"Hey!" Kate called as she approached.

Murdock took Kate's hand and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Hi, sweetheart."

Syd averted her eyes, her expression pained. Face moved closer to her while shooting daggers in Murdock's direction. Murdock stifled another sigh.

Kate squeezed his hand and released it before moving to stand in front of Syd.

"You're looking a lot better, Sydney," Kate said, doggedly catching and holding Syd's gaze. "How are you feeling?"

Unable to avoid looking at Kate, Syd gave her a tight smile. "I'm feeling pretty decent, Kate. How are you?"

"I'm doing well," Kate said. "I stopped by hoping maybe we could… catch up."

Kate infused all of her concern and caring into that sentence. Murdock was impressed.

"I don't know, Kate, I'm, uh, kinda tired."

Syd tried side-stepping the nurse, who looked up at him, eyes pleading for help. As predicted, Syd was struggling to continue avoiding Kate. But Murdock planned to make it nearly impossible.

He reached out and put a stilling hand on Syd's shoulder.

"Aw, c'mon, sugar, you was just sayin' how you'd like to go down to the beach. Face and I can't go right now, but Kate'll keep ya company. Huh, Katie?"

"That sounds great!" Kate said, smile delighted.

"That wasn't the idea…"

Syd trailed off, looking aggrieved and Face moved as if to comfort her.

Murdock grabbed his friend's arm, leading him away as he called over his shoulder, "Yeah, so we'll see you girls later. Have fun!"

The shocked dismay on Syd's face as he and Face left her with Kate was priceless. But Face was being difficult about leaving.

"Murdock, what the hell are you doing? We can't just abandon Syd like that," his friend hissed at him.

"Come on, Face, trust me," Murdock murmured, keeping a firm hand on his friend's arm. "They need to talk. And so do we."

Face craned his head, trying to look back and Murdock likewise cast a glance over his shoulder. Kate had hooked an arm through Syd's and was leading her toward the beach. Syd was not going happily, but she was going.

Murdock gave a satisfied nod. "They'll be fine."

"If you say so." Shaking off Murdock's grip, Face said, "Alright, alright, would ya stop man-handling me. Christ. This has to do with Hawaii, doesn't it?"

"Yeah."

"You are going to clue me in, right?"

"Of course."

They traveled in silence for several seconds before Face spoke again.

"You do realize that Syd might just haul off and bitch-slap Kate, right? In fact, you'll be lucky if that's all she does. You are putting your sweet, innocent new girlfriend's life in your ex-girlfriend's trained-to-kill hands."

Murdock shoved his hands in his pockets, a frown settling on his face.

"You had to go and point that out, didn't you?"

sssss

Kate and HM had rehearsed several scenarios for her conversation with Syd and at this point she was very glad. She had obviously been wildly optimistic regarding Syd's pliability. The stubbornness that HM and Jak had both warned her about was already apparent, as Kate had to practically drag her friend along the path toward the beach.

Needing to break the ice and get Syd relaxed, Kate chose an innocuous subject to open with.

"So, how was dinner?"

Syd's eyes snapped to her face, and she did relax - marginally.

"It was really great. Face outdid himself. And… it was nice to get out and spend some time with the guys."

Giving Syd's arm a comforting squeeze and then letting it go, Kate said, "I'm glad you went. And I'm really glad you agreed to come with me now, Syd. I've been worried sick about you ever since that little encounter in the showers."

Syd frowned, her blue eyes tight. "I'm really sorry about that, Kate. I… well, to be honest, I don't remember much about what happened in the showers."

"I figured as much," Kate said, as she slowed next to a bench, thinking to take a seat.

Syd continued walking though, forcing Kate to follow her out to an empty cabana on the moonlit beach. Bypassing the lounge, Syd dropped onto the ground and hugged her knees to her chest. Discarding her shoes and wiggling her toes like a child, she buried her feet in the sand up to her ankles. Kate took a seat on the lounge and studied the young woman.

The shirt Syd wore was buttoned all the way up to the top, hiding the worst of the bruising from the attack. Where visible, the bruises had turned into a gray-green shadow under her skin. Her face was starting to fill out again, making her look less gaunt, but she was still very thin. Kate knew both HM and Face had been forcing food on her since her return a few days before.

"I really appreciate what you did for me, Kate."

Syd's quiet expression of gratitude startled Kate out of her thoughts.

"I didn't do anything. Honestly, I felt totally at a loss as to how to help, Syd. I just can't imagine what you went through. The only person I thought could get through to you was HM."

Syd's face reddened and her lips thinned. Trailing a finger through the sand in random patterns, she seemed to withdraw into herself at the mention of the pilot. Kate sighed.

"I'm so sorry, Sydney. I think the last couple days I… my actions have hurt you more than I realized. Please believe me when I say that it was never my intention to do that – in fact, just the opposite. I want to help… both you and HM."

"You haven't done anything to hurt me, Kate."

Raising her eyebrows at the young woman, Kate said, "So, it doesn't bother you when I kiss HM?"

Sydney stiffened, jaw clenched. It was several seconds before she spoke.

"Why would that bother me?"

Impressed that Syd managed to keep the tone of her voice so casual despite her upset, the reality of the situation struck Kate as incredibly funny. An involuntary snort escaped her.

"You are stubborn!" Kate managed to choke out before dissolving into uncontrollable giggles. Syd looked at her like she had sprouted a second head.

"What's so funny?" Syd asked.

It took her a bit to get her mirth under control. Clearing her throat, Kate did her best to keep from lapsing into nervous laughter again as she faced her friend.

"You are, Sydney. HM said you'd be stubborn and he wasn't kidding. Sweetie, you don't need to deny it. It's just you and me here."

"I honestly don't know what the hell you're talking about," Syd said.

"I'm talking about you and HM," Kate said matter-of-factly, pushing herself back so she could relax in the lounge chair. "HM told me all about it, so there isn't any point in denying it anymore."

Kate found the surprised expression on Sydney's face oddly gratifying.

sssss

Staring at Kate, Syd was at a total loss for words.

"Nothing to say?" Kate asked.

She didn't seem jealous, angry, or even irritated. In fact, Syd got the distinct impression that Kate was amused. Huh.

"How long have you known?" she finally asked.

"Since the day after my first date with HM," Kate said, then laughed. "First date, last date… it was our only real date."

"What?" Trying vainly to grasp the import of what Kate was saying, Syd was still perplexed. "Then… why…"

She stuttered to a stop. This went so far beyond just getting to Hawaii that Syd was having trouble incorporating it, let alone articulating her confusion. She had seen Kate with HM over the last couple days on a number of occasions and each time it had been more painful to witness. The shared smiles, warm kisses, intimate conversations – Sydney had been certain it was going to drive her insane watching Murdock fall for Kate.

"HM told me everything." The intensity in Kate's gaze was almost comical. "All about Lewis and how when you returned to Nha Trang he made your relationship off limits. I decided right then and there that I was going to help."

"H-help?" Sydney raised her eyebrows at Kate. Oh. My. God.

A devilish little smile lit Kate's face as she swung her feet back to the ground and turned to Sydney.

"Yes. By making Lewis believe that Murdock had moved on and started dating someone else – namely me. I'm really sorry we didn't tell you, but HM thought Lew'd be more likely to be fooled if your reactions were genuine. Oh, and that reminds me, Face doesn't know, either. HM thinks it would be best if we kept him in the dark, at least about the relationship thing. The Hawaii trip kind of throws a whole new dimension into the planning, of course."

Totally blindsided, Syd could only gape at a woman who she had thought was incapable of subterfuge.

"Oh-kay…"

Kate held out her hands, a beaming smile on her face. "Anyway, at this point, all you have to do is convince Lewis that you've fallen madly in love with Jak. Then we're all set –"

"Kate, what in the hell are you talking about?" Sydney shook her head. "I am not madly in love with Jak. He's just a friend."

"I know that, silly. But Lewis doesn't. I've already got Jak on board. You're the last piece of the puzzle."

Scrubbing her hands over her face, Syd shook her head. "What puzzle, Kate? What kind of scheme has Murdock roped you into?"

"HM had little to do with this. In fact, he told me it would never work." Kate's brows knitted together. "Actually, Jak didn't seem to think it would work, either. They both thought you'd refuse to cooperate. You aren't going to, though, are you?"

Syd found herself pinned by a questioning look. She cleared her throat. "I think you better start at the beginning and tell me what you have cooked up."

"From the beginning, right." Kate settled back in the lounge and started talking. Syd held her tongue through the entire monologue, allowing the nurse to finish weaving her outlandish plan. It was a full fifteen minutes before Kate wrapped it up.

"So, while I suspect Lew won't let you go to Hawaii with the Team –"

"He won't," Sydney confirmed.

Kate continued as if she hadn't spoken.

"I don't see how he could refuse you a leave in Japan. I know the therapist that's working with Jak, and figured we could even enlist his help. Not that I think he'll be able to order the leave, but I think he can reinforce the need for both you and Jak to get away. Then, once you're in Japan it's a simple matter of taking a private plane to Hawaii to join us. Lewis will never know!"

First Hannibal and the Team, and now Kate. While there was something comforting about having so many people intent on getting her to Hawaii, it didn't change the hurdles to getting there. Hurdles that she was resolved she should tackle alone so that no one else could become a victim in the potential backlash… mainly from Lewis. And Kate was definitely underestimating her seasoned partner.

"Lewis always knows."

"How could he? He's not going to chaperone you and Jak – that would be ridiculous. So I'll set things up in Tokyo so that it looks like you're there the entire time. Standing room service order for the ensconced lovers is doable. It's perfect."

"He'll find out," Syd said flatly. "You don't understand how good Lewis is at what he does, Kate. Or how dangerous he can be. And he hates… no, he loathes Murdock. Lewis is just waiting for an excuse to lay into him – any reason. And I don't want to be that reason."

Kate studied her for several seconds before responding.

"I think you're giving Lewis far too much credit, Sydney," Kate said. "He's not a magician and he isn't omnipotent. Unless he follows you and Jak to Japan – which would just be creepy – he isn't going to find out."

"He doesn't have to follow, Kate… not that I'd put that past him. He could just call to check in."

Kate nodded thoughtfully. "So we have the hotel forward the calls to Hawaii. I'm sure Daddy can swing the arrangements."

Consciously closing her mouth, Syd asked, "Who the hell is your father?"

"Kurt Evans, Information Dynamics, Inc., business mogul and multi-millionaire," Kate said with a shrug. "There are huge advantages to being a spoiled rich girl."

"I guess." Syd was stunned, as well as incredibly moved to have Kate go to so much trouble for her. But she wasn't convinced it was a good idea. "I'm still not so sure about this plan of yours, Kate…"

The silence stretched between them, but Syd could tell that Kate was far from done arguing with her.

"Why?" Kate finally asked.

Syd held out a hand, and spoke matter-of-factly, "Well, first of all, Jak is as off limits as Murdock, now."

"Jak is not a member of the Team," Kate said. "Therefore he should not be off limits. I believe that's a point we could argue successfully, if not with Lewis then with Morrison. HM agrees. Next."

"Kate…" Syd trailed off, unsure how best to counter that argument and convinced that anything she said would be unlikely to deter the woman any way. So she changed tactics. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because… you're my friend. So is HM…"

"You go to this kind of trouble for all of your friends?" Syd asked, dubious. Kate was a sweet lady and all, but no one had ever gone out of their way to do something this thoughtful for her. So why was Kate?

Squaring her shoulders, Kate said, "Actually, I've only ever done things this elaborate to help my little brother, but yours is a far nobler cause than showing up my arrogant older brother. To be honest, I've always had a rather overdeveloped sense of fairness – a personality trait that my father has belittled, at least in public."

Sydney suppressed a smile. There was far more to Kate Evans than met the eye. "So, HM and I are the latest project to prove yourself to Daddy?"

"My father is actually quite proud of me," Kate said with a serene little smile. "In front of my brothers he's always blustering about how the world isn't fair and we need to suck it up and get used to it. But in private he calls me the great equalizer and encourages me never to change. He says the world would be a better place if more people were like-minded."

Unable to disagree with that assessment, nevertheless Sydney shook her head. "Katie, it really is sweet of you, but I still think it's a very bad idea…"

Kate fixed her with a no-nonsense gaze.

"Let's make a deal, Syd. You hit me with anything and everything that you think could go wrong and I'll come up with a work around. We'll call it contingency planning – and it's probably a very good exercise for us to go through anyway. During that process if you can stump me, we'll call it off. But if you can't, you promise me you'll give it a go."

Surprised by the challenge in the easygoing nurse's face, Syd could only nod. Did Kate really think she could outwit a man who had worked in international espionage as long as Lewis? If Kate didn't look so serious, she would have laughed.

"Fine. Have you considered the possibility that Lew will follow Jak and me to Japan?"

With that, Sydney starting throwing every monkey wrench she could think of into the gears of the scheme Katie had concocted. With a determination worthy of the most hardened soldier, Kate countered each and every problem with a thoughtful contingency. Sydney quickly developed a grudging respect for the nurse's cunning.

And as the evening wore on it slowly sank in that Murdock really hadn't fallen for Kate – that it was all just an act and nothing more. It was impossible to ignore the relief that came with that realization.

She was still unwilling to admit that she loved Murdock. After all, she wasn't even sure what love was. But she couldn't deny that the jealousy she had been experiencing over the last few days was deeply rooted in her feelings for the pilot.

Over two hours later Sydney finally accepted defeat. Though she and Kate hadn't always fully agreed that the work around would be successful, Kate did develop a contingency for every alternative scenario Syd posed.

"You said that HM hasn't been overly involved in the planning of this little scheme of yours, right, Katie?"

"He was pretty much certain that you'd balk at the whole thing, Syd. I mean, he's helped me some with sticking points I've had along the way, but this is pretty much all my idea."

Syd stared at Kate, mulling over the implications. Lewis would never suspect Kate of being the mastermind – it wasn't his style to give a woman that much credit. It was almost a certainty that Kate would be safe from any sort of retribution by the agent, anyway.

She could definitely work with this plan. She just needed to make sure the only trails led back to her. She was confident Lew wouldn't do anything to her. In fact, he seemed quite intent on ensuring the security of her position here at Nha Trang. That only left the Team to worry about.

"Kate, I only have one stipulation moving forward."

"Shoot," Kate said, her grin wide and excited.

"The Team is out of it," Sydney said firmly. "I don't want them within a thousand yards of this little scheme of yours to get me to Hawaii."

It was Syd's last real doubt about the whole thing. She was absolutely resolved that the guys not get caught in any backlash that might occur if Lewis found out what was going on.

Kate's brow furrowed. "That could be difficult. HM is getting pretty excited about the whole thing…"

"Tell him to back off and cool it. Face too. Tell Murdock it's about plausible deniability. He'll understand."

"Plausible deniability?" Kate said. "I think I can remember that. And I think if I stress that it's the only way you'll go along with the whole thing, HM will behave."

Syd shared a resigned smile with Kate. "We can hope."

With her own doubts about the potential success of the plan fading, Syd found her anticipation of the trip bourgeoning as she and Kate headed back toward base. Even considering travel time, she figured she'd get to spend a little over six days in Hawaii.

She had been looking forward to the trip before if only because she craved the camaraderie of the Team. But the added promise of getting to spend the entire week enjoying the soothing, intimate company of a certain handsome pilot felt like a windfall.

She had been ready to stay away from HM for his own good, especially when it seemed he might actually fall for Kate. But knowing what she knew now, it seemed silly to resist the soul-deep yearning to be with him like she had been in Cam Ranh so many months before.

She needed that so badly she could almost taste it.

kmc