Death Waits In the Wings

Disclaimer: I do not own The A Team movie or television series or any of the delightful characters found on The A Team.

Chapter 53 Opening Night

As the curtain opened to the backdrop showing the main hall of Windsor Castle, Hannibal straightened in his seat. Doctor Freedman entered the stage from the right wing, his royal purple robes swirling about him. Behind him were the actors playing Henry Percy of Northumberland and Sir Walter Blunt. In their footsteps, Orville Galaham, portraying Thomas Percy, the Earl of Worcester, and Murdock followed.

Hannibal scrutinized Murdock's condition from where he sat. The pilot's stride seemed strong and steady enough. His pallor was partially concealed by the pancake makeup. If the Colonel had not known Murdock was sick and injured, he would not have noticed the slight quiver in his limbs as he stood before the Beaumont physician to say his first lines.

"'My liege, I did deny no prisoners.
But I remember when the fight was done,
When I was dry with rage, and extreme toil,
Breathless and faint, leaning upon my sword,
Came there a certain lord . . . "

Murdock could be describing his own health with those lines.

"'I then, all smarting with my wounds being cold,
To be so pester'd with a popinjay,
Out of my grief and my impatience
Answer'd neglectingly, I know not what,
He should, or he should not, for he made me mad
To see him shine so brisk, and smell so sweet,
And talk so like a waiting-gentlewoman,
Of guns, and drums, and wounds_God save the mark!_ . . . '"

Hannibal listened carefully for any falter in the pilot's speech but Murdock's performance was flawless. He delivered his lines with passion, his eyes flashing with indignation and anger in the right spots as he addressed first the king and then his stage father and uncle. The Colonel glanced over at Douglas Empry and saw him nodding with satisfaction. The patron of Nederland Community Playhouse seemed pleased so far with the performance. Mrs. Bartleman did not need to worry about the oil tycoon continuing to support the theater so long as it remained solvent.

With the first act over, the Colonel knew there were six more scenes in which Murdock would have to be on stage. Thankfully, the next three appearances of Hotspur were spaced far apart. Between scenes, Hannibal hoped Face and Cyndy could administer whatever first aid the Captain would need before his next entrance.

Hang in there, Murdock. You're doing good so far. Stay focused.

Murdock's acting continued to be strong, his movement around the stage done with the right amount of agitation and fervor as befitted the nickname Hotspur. The older man began to wonder if he had misjudged the pilot's condition.

And when Evan Dunlow delivered the fatal blow with the prop sword, Hannibal almost sighed with relief that Murdock had completed his part of Henry IV this opening night without seeming to suffer worse injury. Hotspur's final lines were chilling enough and reminded the Colonel of his thoughts the previous night when the pilot howled his frustration at Billy for leaving him alive and on this side of Heaven.

"'O Harry, thou hast robb'd me of my youth.
I better brook the loss of brittle life
Than those proud titles thou hast won of me.
They wound my thoughts worse than thy sword my flesh.
But thoughts (the slaves of life) and life (time's fool)
And time, that takes survey of all the world,
Must have a stop. O, I could prophesy,
But that the earthy and cold hand of death
Lies on my tongue. No, Percy, thou art dust,
And food for_'"

With a final exhalation, he let his head fall slightly to one side, his closed eyes visible to the audience. Every muscle in his body went slack. Even Hannibal thought he looked more dead than alive.

When Falstaff rose from the stage where he had fallen while faking his own demise, he peered intently at the pilot's body. Stollmeier seemed so unsure of what he saw that he delayed his soliloquy for a few seconds.

He probably remembers the last time he rehearsed this scene with Murdock before we made the changes to the script.

The Colonel squinted at the fallen man from where he sat. He was satisfied to see his chest just barely rising and falling with his shallow breaths.

Hannibal was grateful Mrs. Bartleman agreed to alter the blocking of the third scene of the fifth act. Pete Stollmeier wouldn't have to carry Murdock and drop him at the feet of Evan Dunlow and Prince John as originally written.

Until the curtain fell on the battlefield at the end of the fourth scene, the injured man could rest on the stage. The minutes between Hotspur's death and Doctor Freedman's last speech might give the injured man enough time to recoup before the curtain calls at the end of the play. Hannibal hoped Cyndy and Face could revive Murdock enough to take his bows with the rest of the cast. He certainly deserved whatever applause the audience would give him for this performance.

After that, while Face and Cyndy stayed for the opening night reception backstage, B. A. and Hannibal planned to whisk the pilot back to the farmhouse to get some much-needed rest. The injured man protested on the way to the theater, wanting to enjoy the company of the cast and crew he had worked with for two weeks but the Colonel insisted. Doctor Freedman promised to bring Face and Cyndy back to the homestead and give them all an update on the situation at the hospital.

Thunderous applause broke out as the curtain closed after the last scene. The first group to take their bows was Doctor Freedman, Evan Dunlow and Pete Stollmeier. They were joined by the actors who had portrayed Prince John of Lancaster, Ralph Neville and Sir Walter Blunt. They represented King Henry IV's army.

The next curtain call was reserved for members of the Percy family and their allies. When all but Murdock appeared onstage, Hannibal frowned. He considered slipping backstage to see what had happened to the injured man but decided to wait.

The group of actors left the stage to wild applause. The Colonel was relieved when the curtain parted and Murdock came out, Cyndy's arm linked through his. The young woman seemed to be supporting at least part of his weight as they took their bows. Out of the corner of his eye, Hannibal noticed Empry stand and applaud enthusiastically. The rest of the audience did the same.

Murdock swayed on his feet and then grinned at Hannibal. The Colonel stood and acknowledged his performance with a nod and a sharp salute. The Captain's grin grew even wider before Cyndy wrapped her arm around his waist and murmured a few words to him. Reaching up to give him a gentle kiss on his cheek, she helped him leave the stage.

For the last curtain call of the evening, the entire cast formed a line across the stage, Dunlow in the center with Murdock on one side of him and Doctor Freedman on the other. Cyndy grasped Murdock's other hand as the cast members all joined hands and took a final bow. As the cast members retreated behind the curtains, Hannibal picked his way through the crowd to the door leading to the backstage.

Face and Cyndy were assisting the injured man in removing his chain mail. He looked exhausted but pleased.

"I did good, didn' I, Hann'bal? You heard 'em, didn' you?" His excited eyes wandered from Face to the Colonel.

"You did more than good, Captain." Hannibal's beaming grin satisfied Murdock and he leaned back in the chair, a blissful smile playing across his lips.

"I could do this for a livin'," he sighed, his eyelids half-closed. At that moment, Hannibal thought he looked more like a contented child after a full day at an amusement park than a seasoned Viet Nam veteran pilot.

The Colonel glanced at Cyndy, remembering what she said and added, "I was never so proud of you, Murdock." The small sentence demonstrating an almost father-like pride seemed strange coming from his mouth.

He wasn't certain but he thought he saw the Captain's smile grow wider as the words registered. "Thanks, Hannibal. Means a lot to me comin' from you." His hoarse response barely concealed his surprise.

Gazing at Cyndy, focusing on the necklace at her throat, Murdock frowned. "Gotta secure this jewelry, Colonel. It ain't the costume stuff we thought it was. There's weapons 'n' artwork, too, that ain't what it seems. Show 'im, Face."

As the Lieutenant removed the jeweler's loupe from his pocket and gave it and one of Cyndy's rings to the Colonel to inspect, Murdock began to cough. He staggered to his feet and reeled to the rear theater door, Cyndy following him. "'Scuse me, Hann'bal. Think I'm gonna be sick."

Hannibal frowned at Face as he returned the lens. "Make sure all of the jewelry from the cast is secured and locked away immediately. Tell Mrs. Bartleman I will be meeting with her tomorrow. We need to stash the valuable items from the theater in a bank vault and replace at least the jewelry with costume pieces. I've got to get B. A. and take the Captain back home. I think he's had enough for the night."

As Face moved toward the theater owner, the Colonel picked his way toward the rear door to check on Murdock. While he was glad Latreque's now obvious plan had not come together, he realized Winton might know enough to still be a problem. The mission was far from complete.