Wilderness Camp

by peppe1951

Face goes undercover at a teen wilderness camp and finds more than he expected.

Wilderness Camp

By Peppe1951

Summary: Face goes undercover at a teen wilderness camp and finds

more than he expected.

It was supposed to be an easy job, just to observe the workings of the camp, or they wouldn't have sent their youngest member in. It was summer vacation for Face, and as promised by Hannibal, he would join his teammates on a job, but before it had ended, Face had a high fever and showed signs of physical abuse.

The school was out for the summer, and Face was already bored when he wandered into the Team's office, where he found Hannibal talking with a client, he supposed since BA and Murdock were also there. Hannibal motioned for him to stay and decided to stay and listen.

"Face, this is Tom Jennings, and he runs a wilderness type of camp in the Colorado Rockies. It is open to boys ages 10-14. I know you are fifteen, but you can easily pass for a fourteen-year-old. The boys hike, sleep in tents, ride horses, and learn how to survive in the wilderness. They also teach you how to protect yourself with a bow or rifle. They have a limited number of campers that can attend. They have room for only one more, and I want you to be that one. Your job will be to observe the operation and the counselors. To see if there can be any improvements or if you notice any problems that need to be corrected. Do you think you are up for the job?"

Face thought it over before asking. "Mr. Jennings, it sounds like an easy job, but why do you need our help? I would think that you could just ask your campers on how they liked the experience?"

"I have asked the campers about how their camping experience, and for the most part, the answers have been overwhelmingly positive, but there have been a few that wouldn't give clear answers to the questions. I got the feeling that they were scared. I want to know what caused that fear and hope the A-Team can give me that answer. So Mr. Smith, will you take the case?"

Hannibal looked around and got nods from everyone. "Mr. Jennings, you have just hired the A-Team. Face is fifteen and should make an ideal camper. He can take care of himself. He knows how to survive and can shoot; he is, after all, a Vietnam veteran, so he shouldn't have any problems, but I don't want him going without some backup. I'm sending a portable radio with him so he can call in his reports. Also, we want to be added to your staff during the duration of this case, maybe at your base camp. I'm sure you can find jobs for us?"

"Yes, but of course. The way my camp runs: the campers arrive and stay the first night in cabins, then the next day; they ride out with pack animals to the furthest part of the camp and set up their tents. They stay in an area for a couple of days, set up their tents, and participate in the scheduled activity of that stop. They will stop and put up tents several times on the return trip back to the base camp. The activities include wilderness surviving, learning the fundamentals of shooting a rifle or bow, cooking, trapping, and fishing. They can hike around at each stop. The whole trip takes about fourteen days, bearing any problems."

"Well, kid, are you ready to go camping?" asked Hannibal with a smile.

Face's smile was all the answer he needed.

The base camp was located high in the Rocky Mountains and was only approachable by helicopter or horseback. After stepping out of the helicopter, Face shouldered his pack filled with clothing and survival gear, including a fire-starter and a knife.

"Now remember, kid, you are a camper, not a professional. You are going to have to ask questions, even though you know the answers. You can't let anyone know that this is not your first time in surviving in a wilderness situation," Hannibal said.

"Do you have your radio, little brother?" asked BA.

Face nodded, "it's in the pack."

"Be sure to be careful when you make your reports; no one has got to know that you are reporting in," reminded Murdock.

"Hey, you guys are treating me like this is my first undercover mission. I've done this before," exclaimed Face.

Hannibal, BA, and Murdock exchanged glances before BA spoke up. "This is the first time that Mama warned us to make sure you are safe. She was unhappy that we decided to take you along or that you were going undercover. We see you as a seasoned soldier, but she still sees you as her youngest child."

"She threatened you?"

"In a manner of speaking, and we rather not face her wrath if we allow you to get hurt while you are here," BA explained.

"I'll be fine; it will be a piece of cake, " Face replied with a smile.

"That's the spirit; let's get you to sign in and check into a cabin for the night," Hannibal said, enthusiastic as he petted Face on the back.

Soon Face had checked in and was setting his pack down on the nearest empty bunk in the cabin he was directed to. He had just sat on his bunk when a dark-haired came up and placed his backpack on the bunk next to Face.

"Hi, my name is Davy Binder. I'm fourteen years old, and this is my first time at this camp."

"My name is Templeton Smith, but I would rather be called by my nickname of Face," Face said as he introduced himself. "This is my first time, and I'm fourteen, too."

"My dad is one of the counselors here," Davy added. "That is him, over there," Davy said as he pointed out a man with the same features as his.

The counselor said, "I see that you have met my son. My name is David Binder, and this cabin is under my responsibility, although the trail boss is Marcus Sanders. You are to obey him like he was your father. Do not talk back or question any order he gives, and do not disobey him. You will not like the consequences if you do!"

Face and Davy nodded.

"Okay, now what's your name?" Mr. Binder asked Face, taking a small notebook out of his back pocket.

Face repeated his answer but quickly added, "I would rather be called Face, if you don't mind. I get teased about my first name a lot."

David Binder nodded, "I totally understand. Why don't you and Davy head outside and pick out a horse to ride? They are all tame and will not cause you any problems. Just tell the man at the corral which one you would like to be your mount. I'll meet you there after I get the names of the rest of the campers I'm responsible for."

Davy and Face hurried out to the corral to see the horses, and after looking them all over, Face picked out a pinto with brown and white splashes. Davy picked out a palomino.

While the boys were bonding, Hannibal, BA, and Murdock were checking out their cabin and what they needed to do to fit in with the other people working at the base camp. Hannibal decided to work with security; Murdock would work in the kitchen with BA working in mucking of the stables and any maintenance needed. They were sharing one of the cabins reserved for staff.

"Facey looks like he is having fun," remarked Murdock as he put his stuff up.

"And he has found a friend with one of the counselor's son," Hannibal added.

"I hope little brother has a good time despite being undercover. He deserves to have a good time." BA said with a rare smile.

Face, Davy, and the other campers were awakened early the following day, around 5:30. "Up and at it kids. We have a lot to do before we can hit the trail," David cried as he entered the cabin to wake his campers.

Face groaned as he opened his eyes to see that it was still dark outside. "It's still dark out!"

David was quickly by his side. "I know, but we need to pack your gear on the pack animals, grab some breakfast, saddle, and mount your horse, and by that time, it was daylight, and we will be heading out," he explained cheerfully.

Face nodded and slowly got out of his bunk and started dressing, and by the time he had finished, David had returned with saddle bags. "Put the items you want to keep with you at all times in these bags; the rest will be backed on the pack horses."

Face took the saddlebags given him and immediately began to pack dry socks, his survival kit, and fire-starter in one bag and a first aid kit and emergency blanket in the other. He also packed a few snack bars. When he was finished, he shouldered his pack and saddle bags and left the cabin to head for the corral.

By the time Davy had joined him, Face's gear had been packed, and Face was in the process of saddling his horse, whose name was Spirit. Face waited until Davy had saddled his horse before they went to have some breakfast. Face was served by Murdock, who leaped his plate full of pancakes, bacon, and eggs.

"You need to good breakfast to start your day," Murdock said with a smile as he served the rest of the campers. Once they were all served, he brought out glasses of milk and orange juice before he started to serve the staff and himself.

Face was enjoying himself and started to see himself as a camper more than an A-Team member. He knew that once he was in the saddle and at each individual camp, he would have to focus on his assignment but until then, just being a kid at camp was enjoyable.

When it was time to ride out, the whole staff, including Face's family, turned out to watch them ride out and cheer them on.

They rode until lunch when Marcus, the trail boss, called for a stop, and sandwiches from a cooling bag were handed out to all of the campers with candy bars for dessert. They drank from their canteens and rested for a half hour before mounting back up and riding on. They made it to their camping location in plenty of time to set up tents, see to their mounts and look around before supper was fixed. Face looked carefully around but found nothing suspicious. It was after supper that he made his first report to Hannibal. On his way back to camp, he was accosted by the trail boss.

"What are you doing out here by yourself, boy?" Marcus barked as he swung his riding crop, hitting his own leg. The sound caused Face to jump nervously.

"Nothing, just looking around, Mr. Marcus," Face quickly lied.

Marcus looked at Face, trying to decide rather he was telling him the truth or not.

"Are you sure that is what you were doing?"

Face nodded, not wanting to give himself away by speaking. Marcus just stared at him a little longer before walking away. Face nearly sank to his knees with relief. Marcus Sanders was a scary dude, constantly barking at the campers and swinging that crop against his leg to make a point and scaring every camper he was yelling at. "Maybe, it is only Marcus that is causing the fear certain campers are feeling," thought Face.

Face was more careful in making his reports at the following two campgrounds and reported his findings and observations to Hannibal. "Are you having a good time, kid?"

"I'm having a ball, Hannibal," the boy replied before signing off.

It was at the last camp on the return trip to the base camp that Face discovered some pertinent information, and like the first time, Face had been snooping around the campgrounds after supper. He had almost blundered into a conversation between two men behind the tents but was able to stop before he was discovered. The two men were talking about a pick-up of some type.

"I don't like it; the kids could walk up at any time and spoil everything," the taller of the two remarked. "It happened before, remembered."

"Marcus took care of it, and when he was finished, those two kids were too scared to repeat what they saw. Marcus is one scary dude."

Face knew then that this was the real reason behind the fear those campers exhibited. He knew that the longer he stayed, the chance of being discovered was greater and eased backward until he was sure he wouldn't be heard and then hurried back to the tent he shared with Davy. It was on his way back that Marcus observed him and, being suspicious, back-tracked him and discovered his two friends.

"How long have you two been here?" he asked seriously.

"Only a few minutes; why?"

"You might have been overheard by one of the campers…the Smith boy. I caught him snooping at another campsite earlier on the trip. He told me that he was only looking around, but now I think he is up to something. Did you mention about the drug pick-up?"

"Drugs were not mentioned, " the taller one said hastily.

"What did you talk about?" Marcus asked suspiciously.

"Only about the danger of one of the campers finding up about the pick-up like before," the shorter man admitted.

"I'll keep an eye on that kid, and if it looks like he knows anything that will screw up our operation, then I will take care of him!"

Face waited until near midnight when he eased out of the tent to radio Hannibal about his latest discovery. Unfortunately, Marcus was watching and followed; he arrived just in time to hear, "that's great news, kid. You have done your job; leave the…."

Marcus suddenly appeared and grabbed the radio, throwing it to the ground and stomping on it. He grabbed Face before he could escape and drug him, struggling further into the woods. "Who was that you were talking to?" he demanded as he brought down his crop viciously on Face's backside!

Face gasped with the pain that the crop left but refused to reply, which only infuriated the man to rain blow after blow on the boy's backside until the pain became too great, and he passed out.

When he awoke, Face found himself slung over a saddle of a horse ridden by Marcus Sanders. He groaned as the fire in his backside returned. "Ah, you are awake, boy? Now, are you going to talk, or do you want another thrashing?" He threatened.

"Where are you taking me?" Face asked instead of answering his question.

"Someplace where you won't be found. It was so sad that you wandered off during the night and got lost. Your parents will be heartbroken, but these things do happen in the Rockies."

"My family will find me!" Face cried defiantly, "they won't give up!"

"Then they will find your broken body at the bottom of one of the cliffs," Marcus said cruelly before throwing the boy off and watching him fall several feet onto a ledge.

Face hit hard, knocking the breath out of his lungs, causing him to gasp for his next breath, and by the time he could breathe again, Marcus was gone, and he was in pain. He had cut his thigh on one of the rocks sticking up on the ledge, and it was bleeding freely. Face, fortunately, had been wearing his black leather jacket that carried a small survival kit, as well as several emergency blankets, all sewn into the lining of his jacket. He quickly removed his handkerchief and tied it around his thigh to stop the bleeding. He would have to see about treating it as soon as he got off this ledge.

Face felt around the ledge he fell on and discovered that there was an overhang that he could rest under and give him some protection from the elements. Once he was situated as far as he could go, he pulled out his pocket knife and cut the threads on the lining of his jacket so he could pull out one of the emergency blankets hiding there and rolled up in it and tried to get some sleep….soon he was dreaming of another time,

"I'm sorry, but I was hungry," cried the boy as he was being thrashed with a razor strap."

"I take you into my home, give you a job, and this is how you repay me….by stealing," Jake Matthews said as he continued to rain down licks on the small boy's backside.

"What did he take?" a voice from behind him came.

Matthews turned to see three men standing there. The white-haired man repeated his question. "What did he take?"

"An apple from my barrel! This is the thanks I get from taking him from the Orphan Train. I give him a job working in my store, and he steals from me!"

"Is this true, son?"

The boy nodded as he wiped the tears from his face. "I was hungry and hadn't eaten today. It is hard to do them on an empty stomach. I thought he could take it from my wages," he added as he tried to escape.

"Wages! You don't get any wages, boy. I paid for you from the orphan train to work in my store. You work for your meals, and lately, you haven't been doing much of anything, so cut your food alignment."

"Hannibal, he's just skin and bones now," complained one of the men standing with the white-haired man.

"What do you have him doing?"

"Stocking shelves, sweeping up, and moving boxes!"

"Are you doing all of these chores, kid?"

"I try, but the boxes are often too heavy for me to move," the kid replied.

"He's just too lazy to work," replied Matthews!

"No, I just don't have the strength to do some of the jobs. I don't mind working," the kid insisted!

"Don't lie to me," Matthews as he raised his hand to bring the strap down on the boy, only to have his hand stopped before he could do it. He looked into the angry eyes of the black man who grabbed the strap from his hand.

"You are not going to hit this boy again," he growled.

"Where is the contract you have on this boy?" asked Hannibal.

"Why?"

"I want to purchase it and set the boy free. My men and I just fought a war to end slavery, and we will not allow you to abuse this boy further!"

Matthews lost little time in retrieving the contract and showing it to Col. John "Hannibal" Smith. "You can see where I spent fifty dollars for him."

Hannibal glanced at the contract before handing the store keep three twenty-dollar coins. "Come on, kid; you are coming with us."

"Does he have any belongings?" he asked Matthews.

"No, he just came with the clothes on his back," Matthews said quickly. A little too quickly for Hannibal, who asked the boy.

"Is this true?"

The boy shook his head. "He took a locket from me with a picture of my mother in it. He said that he was keeping it safe for me, but he gave it to his wife the next day. He did give me back my mother's picture but not the locket.."

"Give it back!" snarled BA as he started towards the shopkeeper.

Matthews took one look at the angry man and quickly turned to his wife and demanded the locket. She reluctantly turned it over, and Matthews handed it to BA.

BA took it to the boy, saying, "here you go, little brother. Now you can put your mother's picture back in."

"The kid will need clothes, boots, a hat, and a warm jacket. That extra ten should cover it all. Captain, why don't you help the kid pick out what he needs?" Hannibal suggested to his other companion.

Murdock was only too happy to help and, along with the clothing and boots, picked out some other items he thought the boy should have, like a blanket, canteen, pocket knife, and a rifle. He paid for those items himself.

Hannibal bought supplies for their further journey and sent BA to purchase a horse and saddle for the boy.

Face awoke with a start, the pain in his leg throbbing and along with the beating he had taken earlier caused him to wake. The sun was just coming up, and Face sat up cautiously; his sore backside made him cry out in pain. He looked at his thigh and saw that the wound had started to bleed again, and the handkerchief was bloody.

"I can't wait any longer; I have to try and stop the bleeding," he said to himself.

He returned to his jacket and pulled out the survival kit, which contained some first-aid items. He found a tube of antibiotic cream and some bandages. He untied his handkerchief and cautiously pulled it away from the cry out in pain when the fabric had stuck to the wound. He steeled himself before yanking away. The pain was so great that he passed out.

As soon the connection was broken last night, Hannibal cried out with anguish, "FACE!" But he couldn't hear anything.

"Hannibal! What's wrong?" Cried BA. Hannibal's cry had woken both himself and Murdock.

"Face was giving his report…he discovered something earlier but couldn't get away then to report so be called in moments ago. I heard a struggle, and then the radio went silent. I think someone discovered him and grabbed him. He's in danger."

"We got to go after him, Hannibal!" shouted BA.

"Only we can't, at least not now. We do not know the trail, and it is too dark. We will have to wait for the morning," Hannibal said regretfully.

It was at that very moment that the phone rang. Hannibal snatched it up at once and turned pale when he recognized the voice. He held the phone out to BA and mouthed, "It's your mother."

BA reluctantly took the phone but got no further than "Hello," when he stopped to listen.

"Face isn't here, Mama. They what? Yes, ma'am…right away. Don't worry, mama, we will find him!" Then he hung up.

"It seems that Charlie and Maggie went crazy, barking and growling a few minutes ago, whining and going to Face's room and back. They know something terrible has happened, and Mama wants Murdock to come and get them and bring them and her here…immediately!"

The team looked at each other. "I'll borrow the camp's helicopter. I can be gone at morning's light and should get there and back in eight hours," Murdock told them.

"We also will leave at the same time with our search for Face; hopefully, when you return with Mrs. B, Face will be here to greet her and the dogs!"

"If not…"

Early the next morning, just after daybreak, the team went to action. While BA saddled two horses, Hannibal went with Murdock to call the owner and get his permission to take the chopper. Mr. Jennings gave his permission at once and contacted the Forest Rangers to begin a search for the missing boy. Hannibal got a quick breakfast ready for himself, BA, and Murdock, something that was mobile, and saw Murdock off before returning with food and full canteens to start their personal search for their kid. BA had just finished saddling the second horse and was raring to go. The men were armed with rifles and handguns. Face's report on drug pick-up caused them to be prepared. They brought rope, a complete first-aid kit, and a tarp that could be used as a tent, mounted up, ready to go in the direction the campers had left around ten days ago.

"Are you ready, Sergeant?" Hannibal asked in full military fashion. They were on a mission. A mission to find Face, their youngest member of the A-Team.

"Lead the way, Colonel!"

They were only an hour's ride into their search when they met with the campers and their counselors. "Mr. Smith, we came back early to report that one of our campers is missing. Our trail master, Mr. Sanders, sent us back to report and start a search. He stayed behind to begin the search where Face was last seen," Reported David Binder.

"How much longer will it take us to arrive at that camping ground?" Hannibal asked tersely.

"About an hour, we left as soon as it was light enough to see. The campers only had meal bars for breakfast since we all knew the importance of reporting the missing camper."

"David, when you arrive, go and see Mr. Jennings and tell him we need drug enforcement agents out here at once. You can lead them to the camping site Face went missing when they arrived," ordered Hannibal.

"I hope Mr. Sanders will be okay!"

"David, he is one of the drug runners and probably the one that took Face…now go!"

David looked shocked at the news but did as Hannibal said without questioning the man further. BA and Hannibal hurried on and found the camp completely deserted when they arrived forty-five minutes later. They dismounted and started to look for clues on where Marcus and, hopefully, Face had gone.

When Face came to a few minutes later, his leg was on fire, but it was free from the bloody handkerchief, and he started cleaning it as best as he could. He hoped that he got all of the grit and dirt out before he applied the antibiotic cream. He then wrapped it up again in a fresh bandage. Once he was satisfied with his actions, he cautiously stood up and tried to take a step and found that as long as he didn't put all of his weight on his leg, he could stumble on. He repacked the survival kit and put it in his pocket, finding a Snicker's bar, which he immediately consumed. The sugar in the bar gave him needed energy as he surveyed the ledge he was on. He saw that he might be able to climb down if he took it carefully. There were plenty of hand and foot holds along the way. He cautiously eased his body over the ledge and started his journey downward, pausing several times as he inched his way down. He was so afraid that he would black out before reaching the bottom and fall. He could feel himself getting feverish due to the leg wound. It took a few hours before what he feared most happened; he blacked out and fell.

"Can I really come with you?" The boy asked the former Union soldiers.

"Of course, I wouldn't leave you here where this storekeeper could enslave you again. You remind me of my kid brother," replied Colonel Smith kindly.

"Do you have a name, kid?" Hannibal asked a moment later.

"My name is Templeton," the boy replied.

"What is your last name?"

"I don't know; I never my father. The kids called me Peck cause I was always getting into a peck of trouble now and then when I was living on the streets after my mother died," the boy replied.

"Templeton Peck…that's a mouthful for such a small boy; what if we call you Tem for now? I'm sure our Captain will find you the perfect nickname soon," Hannibal said, smiling.

The boy smiled the first genuine smile the team had seen since they met him. It lit up his whole face, and Murdock smiled back.

"Tem, your nickname is now Face. Colonel, he could turn heads whenever he smiles and having such a handsome face to go along with the smile, there is nothing this lad can't do."

"Colonel, I found something over here," shouted BA as he motioned Hannibal to come over. Hannibal knelt and saw what BA had noticed…two sets of footprints. One was smaller and the other larger. They saw that the smaller ones being dragged. Hannibal glanced around and found the wrecked radio, confirming their fears that Face had been kidnapped while he was making his report.

"The tracks head over here, "BA added, where they found blood and the signs of the smaller person lying on the ground.

At BA's questionable look, Hannibal nodded. "I think the bastard beat Face until he passed out and then carried him away!"

"BA nodded, "the tracks of the larger man show him carrying something…or someone. They are heading off in this direction."

They followed them until they came to the corral and surmised that Marcus and rode off with the unconscious Face. They quickly mounted and followed. There were so many places Marcus could have disposed of their boy. They prayed that he was still alive.

Murdock was glad that the camp's helicopter was a larger and more powerful machine than some of the civilian helicopters available. He was able to make excellent time on his journey to pick up the rest of their family. He landed in the A-Team compound in three hours and, after turning off the motor, hurried to the main house where he found a distraught Mrs. B and his and Face's dogs all on leases, ready to go.

"Have you heard anything, HM?" asked Mrs. B.

"Only that BA and Hannibal is following the trail left by Face's kidnapper. There is a search going on by Rescue units of the Park Rangers as well as Federal officers from the DEA." Murdock had thought hard before telling her that part, but she had the right to know.

"Then let's get out of here and go and find our boy. My suitcases and the dog's food and bowls are at the door. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can help with the search!" Mrs. B said firmly.

Murdock lost little time in loading the baggage and the crates that each dog would be in for the duration of the journey. Soon they were airborne and headed back to the Wilderness Camp, and after one stop to refuel and let the dogs out for a few minutes, they were back in the air and landing three hours later. It was during that time that Murdock told Mrs. B everything they knew.

"You see, we all thought that this was nothing serious, or we wouldn't have allowed the kid to go in. We felt that the reason some campers had feared was only due to personality clashes between them and the counselors, which at Face's first report seemed to be the problem, but instead of the counselors at fault, it turned out to be the trail boss, Marcus Sanders. He was always swinging a crop around and shouting at the campers for minor problems. He obviously did not like kids and enjoyed terrorizing them whenever he could. We thought that this job was perfect for Face; he would be back with the Team on a job. We had no clue of an additional problem of drug running was involved," he concluded minutes before landing.

"Thank you, HM, for explaining. Now I won't be blaming you, Hannibal, and Scooter for allowing our boy to be put into danger," she replied with a sad smile.

Murdock quickly moved Mrs. B and her luggage into the cabin he shared with Hannibal and BA. It only took him a few minutes to bring the dogs in before he began preparing to join his team in searching for their youngest member.

He packed his backpack with a complete medical field kit, a change of clothing for Face, along with a survival kit and some rations for himself and the dogs, and a couple of emergency blankets. He also took some ammo for his pistol and some meal and candy bars. "Mama, I'm going to leave now. I'm leaving Billie with you and taking Maggie and Charlie with me. If anyone can find the kid, it will be these dogs. I have my radio, as does Hannibal and BA, the receiver is over here, and we will check in…'bye!"

"Find our boy, HM, and be safe!"

"Yes, ma'am," Murdock replied before leaving the cabin with Maggie and Charlie's leashes in his hands.

As Murdock headed to the corral, he was stopped by a Park Ranger. "Where are you going, sir?"

"That is my little brother who is missing; we," motioning to himself and the dogs," are going out to look for him."

"I can't let you do that, sir. It's too dangerous. You need to let the professionals handle this. We have search and rescue units out searching with trained dogs. House pets will not be any help…you need to stay and wait it out!" ordered the Ranger.

Murdock nodded and returned to the cabin, muttering about being denied his right to search for Face. Mrs. B was surprised when he came back so quickly.

"Stupid ranger won't let us search," he retorted.

"What are you going to do?"

"Be sneaker, but I will only be able to take Charlie. I can sneak him past by hiding him in a backpack. He should fit nicely in Face's. I'll put a blanket at the bottom of the pack for him to sit on. Come on, boy, let's go find the kid, but you have got to be quiet," cautioned Murdock, and he picked up the pack carrying the dog and headed out again.

Murdock cautiously left the cabin and, seeing that no one was in view, casually walked to the stables where he put the two packs down. "Stay quiet, Charlie; I'll be right back."

Murdock quickly picked out a sturdy and friendly horse bringing him back to the stables, where he saddled up and hung Face's pack from the saddle horn. He gathered the reins and led the saddled horse to the trail the campers rode out on. He walked until he was out of sight of the base camp and quickly mounted up and rode off. He had only gone a short way when he leaned over and opened the top of Face's pack to allow Charlie's head to pop out.

When Face came too, he was lying on something softer than the rock ledge. He was lying on the grass at the bottom of the cliff. He was aware of immense thirst and a throbbing in both his leg and head. He knew he was dehydrated and feverish. "Infection must have set in," he said to himself as he put his hand on his thigh and felt the warmth. Face crawled to the nearest tree so he could have something to hold on to as he attempted to stand. He knew he had some cracked ribs from the final fall. He could breathe without intense pain, knowing they weren't broken.

Face stood carefully and staggered on in search of water. He fell several times and forced himself to get up and continued. He wandered into the woods, carefully walking around; he did not need to fall again. He came to a stop when he discovered a fallen limb that forked. He pulled out his knife and began to whittle it down the size. It took him about an hour, but he moved a bit quicker as he limped on.

"Colonel," whispered BA calling in on the radio.

"Have you found something, Sergeant?"

BA was scouting ahead and had located the man they were following. " I think so, I see three men, and one is swinging a riding crop," BA reported.

"Do you see Face?"

"No, he's not there!"

"Damn. Sanders must have left him somewhere behind us!"

"Are we going to double back?"

"No, I think it would be quicker if we get Sanders to tell us where he left Face. BA circle behind them, and I'll come in the front door. Be ready to come in if things get serious."

BA moved out, being careful not to alert their quarry that they could be in trouble. Hannibal gave him ten minutes to get in place before walking in. They had tied their horses and were approaching on foot.

"Hello, the camp," Hannibal called out as he approached.

The three men turned to meet this stranger, fear on their faces. "Hello?" Marcus replied as he sized up Hannibal. "He's going to be no trouble," Marcus thought to himself.

"I'm looking for a missing boy, about fourteen. You haven't seen him by some chance?" asked Hannibal.

"No," lied Marcus.

"Are you sure?"

"Are you calling me a liar, mister?" growled Marcus.

"Well, considering that you snatched him at the last camp and carried him away, I think liar fits you quite well," snarled Hannibal.

Marcus looked scared now…." you have mistaken me for someone else, mister!"

"Does this refresh your memory?" Hannibal said as he threw the destroyed radio at Marcus' feet.

Marcus knew that this stranger knew and attacked, thinking that he had the upper hand because of Hannibal's age and white hair. Hannibal quickly ducked and hit out, catching Marcus on the jaw and knocking him to the ground.

"WHERE IS MY SON!" shouted Hannibal posing to strike again.

"Get him!" Marcus shouted to his buddies.

"BA!"

BA quickly subdued the two men knocking them out one punch each. He quickly tied them and turned to help Hannibal with Marcus.

"What did you do with my son?"

Marcus licked his lips nervously before replying, "he fell…I saw him hit…he didn't move…he's dead!"

"NO! I don't believe you!"

"Colonel, he's not dead. I would feel it if he was dead. Little brother is fighting to survive, and we must find him!"

Hannibal took a deep breath before nodding, " I agree," and then, turning to Marcus, asked, "where was the place that Face fell?"

"All I can tell you is that it was on the trail behind you." Marcus wasn't going to tell them the location because he was scared of what Hannibal or BA would do to him.

"BA, tie him and his two friends to that stand of trees. We will call in their location to DEA, and they can come and pick them up!"

At the mention of DEA, Marcus made a dash to escape. BA brought that to a complete stop with one blow and quickly tied him to the trees where his friends were tied.

"Grab your horse; we need to backtrack and see where Face fell."

"Hannibal?"

"Captain…are you back with Mrs. B and the dogs?"

"Yes, I put her in our cabin. She is operating the radio. Maggie and Billie are with her."

"I thought the plan was that you were taking Maggie and Charlie with you to search for Face. What changed the plan?"

"A noisy park ranger. He refused to allow us to leave. Said there were trained rescue units with dogs looking for Face, and house pets would only be a hindrance. So I sneaked Charlie out in Face's backpack. He is with me now, with his head poking out, ready to let me know if Face is nearby. Do you have any information?"

"We caught up and subdued the ones responsible. They are waiting for the DEA agents to pick them and their stash of heroin up."

"Were they able to tell you where Face is?"

Hannibal paused, aware that Mrs. B could be listening in and not wanting her to know what Marcus had said concerning their kid. "Colonel? What's wrong? Why aren't you replying?" Murdock asked again.

And when Hannibal still didn't reply, Murdock figured it out. "NO! I don't believe it. Colonel, it isn't true, or Charlie would be reacting to it. Where did he say Face was when they last saw him?"

"Somewhere between the camp where Face was snatched and where we are now. He wouldn't give an exact location. Where are you?"

"The campground is just coming in sight. Where do I go from there?"

"You will come to a fork; take the trail to the right. And Captain go slowly Face disappeared somewhere along that trail. BA and I will backtrack and meet up with you."

"Hope to see you soon."

Face moved deeper into the woods, looking for a stream or brook so he could ease his thirst and he could bathe his leg. He began to tire and stumbled, this time falling into a stream of cool water. He drank deeply, relishing in the cool water as it soaked through his clothes. He was so hot and fell into a feverish sleep.

"Where are we going?" Face asked the Colonel.

"I thought you would like a good meal before we leave. I noticed a café when we rode in."

Face smiled in anticipation. "They serve good food there. The lady who runs it is really nice and a great cook. She gives me leftovers whenever she can. I call her Mama B," Face explained.

"Do you know her last name, little brother?" asked BA.

Face paused as he thought. "She told me to call her Mama B when I had trouble saying her name. It is Baracus or something like that."

BA took off running with a curious Hannibal and Murdock following. Face had already started for the café. "MAMA!" yelled BA as he entered.

Mrs. B turned at the familiar voice, and her whole face lit up with a smile. "Bosco, is that really you?"

"Mama, why are you here? When I escaped Master Thomas' plantation, you said that you would wait for me."

"When President Lincoln freed the slaves, I, like so many others, left as well. I had saved some money for work I had done and decided to open my own business. These people accepted me, so I stayed, and they haven't regretted their kindness since. They love my cooking," she explained.

Face and the others walked in then, and BA happily introduced them to his mother.

Mrs. B looked at Face with concern. "Boy, why aren't you at the store? If Mr. Matthews finds you here, he will give you another thrashing. You couldn't sit comfortably for nearly a week."

"It's okay, Mama, Face is no longer working for Matthews. The Colonel bought his contract and then set Face free. He is going to be coming with us. We are heading to Colorado to set up a homestead. I wish you could join us, the boy could use a mother figure in his life, and I want you there, too."

"Yes, that is an excellent idea, BA. Mrs. B, I hope you will join us in our journey," Hannibal said gallantly.

Mrs. B nodded….

As Murdock was getting closer to the area that Face fell, Charlie started to bark, but when the barks turned into a flurry of barks, Murdock knew they had arrived. Charlie tried his best to bet out of the pack he was riding in. "Easy boy, I'll get you out. Just let me dismount first."

Soon man and dog were standing on the edge of a cliff. "Is this the place, Charlie?" He studied the tracks and, not seeing any footprints at all, only those of a horse, corrected himself. "Facey didn't fall; he was thrown over the side!"

Murdock hurried back to his saddlebags and removed a powerful set of binoculars, and returned to the edge to see if he could find his little brother and down below on a ledge, he found the reflective side of a space blanket and a candy wrapper…but the boy wasn't there. He focused further down under the ledge but didn't see a body.

"Colonel! We found where Face fell…and landed. He's not there, Colonel; he's not there!" Murdock cried with joy in his voice. "I see one of those space blankets on the ledge and a discarded candy bar wrapper. He must have been wearing his leather jacket!"

You could hear the relief in Hannibal's voice when he replied. "Thank you, Lord! What is your location?"

"About an hour from the camp. How soon can you get here?"

"ASAP! Can you see a way down from there?"

Murdock quickly looked down and spotted a way down, but it would be slow going, and he reported his findings. "Between you and me, the terrain starts to slope downward. I think a horse and rider can make it down safely; at least, I'm going to give it a try."

Soon with Charlie secured back in the backpack, Murdock mounted and headed for the area of descent. Before he started down, he marked the place with his red bandana. It took him about thirty minutes before his horse stepped down onto the grassy ground beneath the cliff, and he rode to a spot under the ledge.

Murdock could see from the saddle the signs of a disturbance on the ground and quickly dismounted and released Charlie from the pack. Charlie bounded away before Murdock could put him on his leash. He grabbed his field medical kit and backpack and hurried after the dog. He lost sight of him immediately but followed the sounds of his barking until he found Face and hurried to his side.

"Face!" And when he didn't get a response started his preparations to check him out. He noticed the signs of trauma and found the bandaged leg. When he touched it, he noticed at once the heat radiating from it and him. "Oh, Facey, let's find out where you are hurting."

He carefully undid the bandage and saw the inflamed wound on his thigh and began to treat it at once, pausing only long enough to report into Hannibal.

"Colonel…we found him. He's hurt; a puncture wound to his thigh probably received it from the fall when he landed on that ledge. He is feverish and shivering. Charlie found him by a stream, so I surmise that he is dehydrated, too."

By the time Hannibal and BA arrived, Murdock had cleaned the wound more thoroughly and injected the area with an antibiotic in hopes of treating the infection at its site. He had stripped the kid down entirely and found the signs of the thrashing he had received at the hands of Marcus. Some of the welts were infected, and he was in the process of treating them when Hannibal and BA arrived.

"I think he has some cracked ribs but found no signs of anything broken," Murdock reported as he moved back to allow the older man room.

It was while Hannibal was rechecking Murdock's treatments that Murdock said,

"Face didn't fall off that cliff…he was thrown off it!"

"How do you know?"

"There were no footprints, only hoof-prints. I think that bastard threw Face off the cliff to keep him from talking to the police about what he heard. He told you that Facey fell, but if you read the signs, you will see that was a lie!"

"Han…bal," cried Face weakly from the ground. "I'm so cold," he added, shivering.

Hannibal pulled the boy into his arms to offer him the comfort he graved. "I'm here, son…so are Murdock and BA. Charlie found you. We are going to get you home soon."

"I brought Face some clean clothes and pulled out a set of sweatpants and shirt, figuring it would be the easiest to dress the boy in. While Hannibal dressed him, BA and Murdock put on a pair of warm socks and his shoes.

"Thirsty…I'm thirsty," cried the boy as he struggled to get to the stream only to have a canteen of water placed near his mouth.

"Drink from this Facey; it is safer," urged Murdock as he held the canteen to the boy's lips.

Face drank so quickly that he began to cough, and Murdock took it away. "You are drinking too fast. It's not going anywhere. Do you need more?"

Face nodded, and Murdock returned the canteen to Face's lips and was pleased to see the kid drink slower.

"We need to get him to the nearest hospital, Colonel!" cried BA.

Hannibal nodded. "Captain, do you think you can land that helicopter in the valley next to the cliff facing?"

Murdock paused as he calculated the space. "Not a problem… I landed choppers

In tighter spaces in 'Nam and made it out again, I won't have any trouble."

"Return to the base camp and bring the helicopter back here as soon as you can. His fever is rising, it is 104 now, and we need to get him to the hospital ASAP!"

"Are you ready to leave, son?" Hannibal asked Face.

"Yes, sir," Face replied as he pulled himself into the saddle of the pinto that BA had picked out for him. "What's his name?" Face had asked.

"He's yours; you name him," he had been told.

"What did you decide to name your pony, little brother?" BA had asked after Face had mounted.

"Charlie. I had a best friend back home named Charlie."

"Then Charlie it is."

"FACE! Wake up, son!" Hannibal cried out after Face had passed out, soon after Murdock had left, but the fever was going higher instead of going down.

"Sergeant, we need to cool him down until Murdock gets back with the chopper. Use your bandana while I pull up his shirt and pull down his pants so he can be wiped down with a wet handkerchief.

Murdock made excellent time in getting back to the base camp. He reported to the office to tell them that Face had been found and that he was taking the helicopter. "The kid is, in a bad way. He needs to go to the nearest hospital ASAP. He has a high fever and keeps going in and out of consciousness!"

He stopped off at the cabin to tell Mrs. B and then headed for the helicopter. Just as he was about to enter he was accosted by the same park ranger who had forbid him from taking Maggie. "Where are you going with that chopper?"

"To a clearing under a cliff about an hour from that last campground. My little brother is there and has to go to the nearest hospital," Murdock hurriedly tried to explain.

"l know that place and it is too small for this chopper to land. I can have a smaller one here within the hour!"

"You do what you like, but I'm taking off now. Face can't wait that long!"

"I tell you that space is too small!"

"Look, I was a chopper pilot during 'Nam and landed choppers bigger than this one in areas that size many times, and I got my people out, too. So step away before you force me to do something we will both regret," and with that, Murdock started to go aboard.

The park ranger didn't like for his orders to be ignored and put his hand on Murdock to try and physically stop him only to have Murdock turn and strike him a blow to his jaw, and knocking him to the ground, too stunned to move.

Soon the chopper was airborne and headed for the clearing where Face was fighting for his life.

They had ridden for several days, with Mrs. B driving a covered wagon with her belongings in it, when they arrived at a homestead. The owner was beating a dog when Face reacted by jumping off his horse and running to stop him.

He threw himself on the dog to prevent the man from hitting the dog further.

"Stop," he cried and the man did looking dumbfounded at the boy's action.

"Get off," he yelled as he pulled Face off. "What do you think you are doing?" he added as he shook the boy.

"Stop!" shouted Hannibal.

The man glared up at the Colonel, taking note of his union trousers. He released Face, who stood between the dog and the man who was beating her.

Sensing the tension in the air, Hannibal asked, "How much do you want for the dog?"

"Uh?"

"Well, you were beating her, so you must not want her. I'm offering to take her away and willing to pay you for her. So how much do you want?" Hannibal asked again.

The man scratched his head thinking before replying. "You can have her for five dollars."

Hannibal flipped the man a five-dollar piece before telling Face, "Get your dog."

Face turned to the dog and began to pet her, "Come on, Maggie, you are coming with us."

"Why Maggie, Face?" asked Hannibal.

"That was my mother's name."

Hannibal rechecked his watch. "What is keeping Murdock? He has had more then enough time to get to the base camp and back here."

"Something must have delayed him, Colonel. You know he wouldn't do anything to endanger Face."

"I know, Sergeant, but we need to get the kid some medical help real soon. How is his fever?"

"It's gone down a bit, Colonel, but not much" BA replied and then pausing

he added excitedly. "I hear a chopper, Colonel!"

Hannibal ran out into the clearing to see Murdock ease the chopper down and then hurried back to BA and Face. "Murdock is here; let's get the kid out that ASAP!"

BA quickly fixed Face's clothing before gathering him into his arms and running out to the clearing with Charlie and Hannibal running behind. "Here," he said to Murdock as he handed the boy to the pilot.

"Colonel, I'll stay here and get the horses and gear back to the base camp. You go with Face! You better take Charlie with you!"

Hannibal nodded and, picking up the dog, got into the chopper. As soon as he sat Murdock handed Face to him. Soon they were in the air.

BA watched as the chopper lifted off and until it was out of sight, then be turned to pack their gear and gather the reins of the two horses. He mounted his and led Hannibal's horse back to the base camp.

"How is he, Colonel?"

"He keeps going in and out of consciousness. His fever has gone down a fraction, probably due to BA and my wiping him down with the cool stream water," replied Hannibal. He paused to ask, "What delayed you, Captain? I was expecting you before now."

"Colonel, I tried. As soon as I arrived, I told the authorities that they could call off the search. That Face had been found, and after checking in with Mrs. B, I headed for the chopper to take off when that same Park Ranger tried to stop me."

"What did you do, Captain?"

"I decked him and got into the chopper and flew to get Face!"

"Very good, Captain. What hospital are you aiming for?"

"Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. We should there in a few minutes. I've already radioed ahead that we would bringing Face in within the hour. They will be expecting us," replied Murdock as he started his approach on landing on the helicopter pad. A team of ER staff rushed out with a portable bed, and Face was placed on it. Hannibal followed behind, and Murdock grabbed Charlie to keep him from following.

"Colonel, we will be along in a while. Take care of Face," he called before leashing Charlie and flagging down a cab.

It was an hour later that Murdock and Charlie walked into the hospital and went to the front desk to ask where they could find Face. "He came in by chopper about an hour ago. His father was accompanying him. His name is Templeton Smith," Murdock explained.

He was directed to Intensive Care waiting room on the fifth floor. He thanked the receptionist before he and Charlie headed for the elevators. The first person he saw upon stepping out was Hannibal, who was pacing back and forth in front of a room.

"Colonel. How is Face? Is he still unconscious?"

"Hannibal nodded, "he is being treated for dehydration, bruised and cracked ribs, and an infection from the wound on his thigh, but his fever is lessening."

"Why are you out here and not in there with Face?"

"They are taking his vitals and giving him a sponge bath. I was asked to step out."

It was then that Hannibal noticed Charlie. "Captain, how did you manage to bring Charlie in? Most hospitals do not allow pets in."

"Colonel, do you notice anything different about Charlie?"

Hannibal looked a little closer and noticed that dog was wearing something, some type of vest. "What is he wearing, Captain?"

"A service vest, which makes him a service dog which allows him entrance into buildings including hospitals!"

"What type of service does Charlie provide?"

"Emotional service, Colonel. I bet he can bring Facey back into consciousness," Murdock said.

"Well as soon as we are alone. We are going to give it a try, Captain."

As soon as she was finished, the nurse motioned for Hannibal and Murdock to enter. Face's room had an observing window. "How is he nurse?" Hannibal asked upon entering the room.

"Much better. His temperature is down, his vials look good, and the infection is nearly gone. If he would only wake up, I would say he is doing really good!"

"We may have a way of waking him, and with your permission, I would like to give it a try," replied Hannibal. "Now, this may seem a bit unconditional to you, but I have high hopes of it working."

"Go ahead; what harm could it possibly do," replied the nurse.

Hannibal nodded to Murdock, who immediately placed Charlie on Face's bed.

Murdock looked at the nurse who only nodded. They watched as the dog snuggled closer to the boy before laying his head on Face's chest. A few minutes later, they saw Face move his hand and begin to pet his dog.

"WHAT IS THAT DOG DOING ON THE BED!" another older nurse said in a loud and disapproving voice as she walked into the room.

"Quiet!" Hannibal as he moved to intercept her. "This dog is a service dog, and his presence is helping my son!"

Nurse Nancy had been there so long that she felt that what she said went. Service dogs were a new thing, and she disapproved. To her, they should not be allowed in any hospital!

"Madison, you know that the administration hasn't approved allowing service dogs yet," she hissed at the younger nurse.

"If you would stop fussing, you would see that the dog is helping. The boy has been unresponsive since he got here, but with the dog here, he is responding."

Nancy looked up just as Face opened his eyes. She left in a huff.

Face smiled when he saw Charlie. "Charlie!"

The dog quickly started licking his hand and then his face, which caused the boy to giggle with delight. "Face!" cried Hannibal and Murdock.

"Hannibal…HM. I knew you would find me. I told him that you would."

"Not me, kid….it was Charlie that found you, Murdock followed him and then called BA and me, and we came. You gave us a scare, kid."

"Where is BA?"

"He stayed to take the horses back to the base camp and update Mrs. B," explained Hannibal.

"Are you going to be in trouble with Mama B because I got hurt?"

"Nope, I had a long talk with your Mama when I flew her and dogs here. She understands."

"She's here…and Maggie?"

"Yep, and hopefully, you will improve in the upcoming days so we can take you to them."

Hannibal was about to say more with Nurse Nancy came back in with Face's doctor, "as you can see, there is a dog on the bed; it is so unsanitary to have him up there, and the hospital hasn't approved having service animals in the hospital yet."

Dr. Williams immediately noticed that his unresponsive patient was awake and interacting with his family. "Having the dog on his bed did all of this?" he asked Hannibal.

Hannibal nodded. "The dog also keeps my son's nightmares away."

"Doctor!?"

"I don't see a problem with the dog staying here with him. Nurse Nancy go a help another patient and do not bother this patient further."

After the nurse left, Dr. Williams approached Face and asked, "How are you feeling, young fellow?"

Face paused as he took stock of his injuries and said, "fine. When can I leave?"

Hannibal smiled at his answer. "Doctor, I wouldn't believe everything he says about how he feels. He has the tendency to lie at times to get his way. And he wants to leave."

Hannibal turned to Face and said sternly, "tell the truth, kid or expect to try out my new obstacle course when you are better."

Face looked at his father and, seeing the threat, sighed before he replied truthfully to the doctor. "I hurt. My ribs hurt, and my butt, where I was struck repeatedly with a riding crop."

"My son was kidnapped at a wilderness camp, and his kidnapper whipped him with a riding crop," Hannibal explained.

"I saw those abrasions when I was treating him; some were inflamed; those are probably the ones that are causing the pain. I will give you something for the pain. I also am going to have you moved to a regular room. The only reason we were keeping you in intensive care was that you wouldn't wake up. Your vitals are improving. All you need is to rest and to continue to heal."

"Madison, would you see to this?" Dr. Williams asked the nurse, who promptly left to follow his instructions.

"Dr. Williams, this nurse isn't going to get in any trouble for allowing Charlie," motioning to the dog, "from getting on the bed?"

"No, what she did, she did for the patient's benefit, and she is to be praised for her actions. She is one of the most popular nurses on our staff. She is so caring and friendly, and besides that, she is my daughter."

"Doctor? When can I get out of here?" asked Face.

"Well, as long as you continue to improve and get stronger, I say that by the end of the week, you will be going home. I'm glad you are improving, young man but now I must make my rounds," and with that Face was left in the company of his family.

The doctor paused at the door. "Nurse Nancy is a caring nurse, too. She is just a stickler for rules and since the hospital hasn't officially approved allowing service dogs in she isn't going to allow it either."

"But your daughter did?"

"My daughter loves dogs and is very observant. We have miniature schnauzers at home, and many a day, I've seen one of our dogs in my daughter's lap after she has had a hard day. Their just being there has always helped."

"Hannibal, I'm going to call BA and update him on Face's condition."

Hannibal nodded and turned back to the boy. "We caught Marcus and his two buddies. They are in the hands of the DEA, and the heroin has been confiscated!"

It was Friday, and Face was happy. He was being released from the hospital. "You know I can walk?"

"It is either the wheelchair or you get to stay a little longer; the call is yours, kid!"

Before the words were out of Hannibal's mouth, Face was in the chair with Charlie in his lap. "Come on, let's go!"

"Mama, I'm back!" cried Face as he walked into the cabin. He was greeted first by Maggie, who nearly knocked him down in her excitement of seeing him. Then he was engulfed in a huge hug by Mrs. B.

"Baby, you're back. Son, I was so worried about you. I know you getting hurt wasn't the fault of your father or brothers because I know they wouldn't have sent you undercover if they thought you would be in any danger, but I would rather you not go on any more jobs with the team until you are grown."

"But Mama, I miss not being with them," pleaded Face.

"Well, we will see, but for now, it is great seeing you again," relented Mrs. B.

"I wished I could have finished the camping vacation," Face said sadly.

"There is no reason we can't have a camping vacation when we return home, Face."

Face smiled and said excitedly, "can we do it on horseback, too?"

Hannibal looked at his youngest and could not deny him, especially after all he went through. "Sure, why not? We have room on the compound to build stables and buy some horses."

"Thanks, Dad," Face said shyly. It was the first time he had called Hannibal dad, and Hannibal looked up with a smile and pulled the young boy into his arms.

"You're welcome, son."

"Let's go home! This case is complete!"

The End.