39. The Escape
Disclaimer: I do not own The A Team movie or television series or any of the delightful characters found on The A Team.
Hannibal pulled the pin on the first grenade and threw it as hard as he could toward the field behind the barn. The explosion was immediate and loud.
About now, I wouldn't mind having Murdock's throwing arm here. There's a reason he handles the demolitions a lot of the time.
Loud cursing erupted in the lower section of the building. He didn't take time to distinguish what was being said. He had a feeling he knew.
Hannibal lobbed the second grenade which sailed over the hay wagon before detonating.
"You two, take the rear. You two, the front . . . " The third grenade which Hannibal tossed toward the field in front of the barn interrupted him. "I'll stay with him and keep him company."
"Oh, goodie," Face slurred and received another punch.
Four down, one to go.
Flames licked at dry grass and spread toward the barn from the first grenade. Just as the four henchmen emerged from either end of the structure, their guns drawn, the Colonel ducked out of sight behind the burlap sacks.
Now how can I take care of the boss man and get hold of one of those cars?
A rat darted from his refuge in the rotting hay bales to one of the sacks.
Hannibal grinned.
He won't be expecting an attack from above, now will he?
He knew he had very little time before Jack's goons came back to report. Taking a quick breath and hefting the sack closest to the edge of the loft, Hannibal stood and lifted it chest high.
The bag hit the dirt floor and burst its seams. Corn kernels and sparkling stones scattered everywhere. Hannibal hid again.
"What the . . . " Jack turned away from his hostage and backed toward the spilled contents, peering into the loft's darkness as he did.
The Colonel stood and heaved a second sack at the man below. "Here! Catch!"
Melody's ex threw his arms out to either side just as the bag caught him full in the chest. The hand gun he aimed at the loft thudded on the earth. Jack fell hard. His head rebounded off the compacted dirt and then he lay still.
Hannibal stared down at the prone figure for a moment and shook his head. "I gave you fair warning."
Hurrying down the ladder along the wall, his first stop was to cut the ropes securing Face to the support timber.
"You okay, kid? You think you can ride shotgun while I get us out of here?" Hannibal was relieved to note that Face did not collapse as soon as he freed him.
The Lieutenant rubbed at his chafed wrists and winced when he ran his tongue over his cut lower lip. Squinting at Hannibal through swollen eyes, Face grinned for a moment. The action caused the cuts on his upper and lower lips to reopen. "I'll prop my eyes open with toothpicks. I don't want to hang around to see what this scumbag wants to try next."
He painfully made his way to pick up the handgun his captor dropped. While Hannibal rifled the man's pockets, Face dug through the spilled corn and picked up a few of the sparkling stones. Stuffing them in his pockets, he went over to the woman lying in the straw and dirt and knelt beside her.
Dangling the key ring from his fingers, the older man hurried over to where Face checked Melody's condition.
"We're going to have to carry her to the car, Colonel." Face bent to grip the young actress under her arms, then sucked in a sharp breath and clutched his rib cage. "That last punch must have bruised or cracked something. Or Mel's a lot heavier than she looks and she just made me pull a muscle. Sorry, Hannibal."
"Here. Let me. You see which car this set of keys belongs to. Take the carbine with you. And slash the tires of the other car so we don't have anyone following us for a while." He turned his knife, the semi-automatic and the key ring over to the Lieutenant and picked Melody up in his arms. She groaned softly and nestled her head against the Colonel's chest.
That's okay, kid. You rest until we're out of danger.
"Over here, Colonel." Face left the key in the ignition and, without starting it, slid over to the passenger side. He motioned toward the second vehicle. "They'll be riding on rims if they try to come after us."
"Good work, Lieutenant." Opening the rear car door, Hannibal slid Melody onto the bench seat in the back and closed the door again.
"Here goes nothing," he murmured as he got behind the wheel and started the engine. "You ready, kid?"
"When have I not been ready, Hannibal?" Face gave him another grin, splitting his lower lip in multiple places again in the process. He wedged the stock of the carbine against his shoulder and waited at his open window.
Flooring the gas pedal, Hannibal broke the barn doors wide open, the tires spitting dirt behind them as they went. A bullet shattered the back window of the sedan as they sped along the rutted path across the field. The Lieutenant returned the shot, making all four men dive for the ground.
"That'll buy us some time," Hannibal noted and chuckled.
The danger past, Face glanced over, worry in his expression. "Murdock?"
"At the emergency room in Alturas. B. A.'s with him."
Face nodded his relief. "They left him because they thought he was dying. But he'll be fine, right?" The con man frowned back at the growing blaze.
When the Colonel didn't respond, Face stared at him. "Hannibal?"
Hannibal sighed. "Why don't you see how Melody's doing?"
Hesitating for only a moment, Face obeyed and left the Colonel to his thoughts.