On the way

I.

Murdock smiled happily. He made a step towards Hannibal and embraced him.

"Thanks, Colonel, thanks." He said.

Hannibal tried to look serious, but he couldn't help and gave a little smile.

It seemed that it was really important to Murdock. And why not helping the kidnapped people there, whether Amy is one of them or not? He had to forget all the emotional stuff about Amy for the moment and concentrate on the more important things. He had to make a plan.

"Ok Tawnia, you will find out anything that might be relevant. I'll contact Face and B.A., but first we have to get you out here, Murdock. I'll back soon." he said and left the room. Some minutes later he was back with some clothing. He threw it at Murdock.

"Try this one Dr. Miller." he said and smiled mischievously.

Murdock got into the white coat.

Hannibal opened the door again and looked around, when nobody was seen he waved at Murdock. The Captain knew what to do. He runs. Runs out of the VA. Then Hannibal and Tawnia left as if nothing had happened. On the corridor they met Dr. Richter.

"How's Mr. Murdock?"

Hannibal grinned and took a cigar out of the pocket of his jacket.

"He's fine. Guess we could solve the problems. Now he needs some rest. May you look tomorrow after him."

"What did you do? What did you tell him?" The Doctor said surprised about the quick result.

Hannibal's grin grew even bigger. "Like she told, I'm a specialist", he said and looked at Tawnia.

Dr. Richter shook his head saw the "German specialist" and the woman leaving.

Outside the three met again.

"What's to do next Colonel?" Murdock said and Hannibal could tell that he didn't look as crazy as usual.

"Like I said. I'll call B.A. and Faceman. Tawnia, you will go back to you office and try to find out as much as you can about the whole story. Murdock, you'll look around where we can get an airplane. Face will help you when he is back. We all met together tomorrow in the evening at Townia's apartment."

Murdock saluted. "Yes Sir!"

Tawnia just nodded. The last time the team had a meeting at her apartment Colonel Decker showed up. Of cause he didn't get them, but Tawnia's apartment was a whole mess after Decker left. She knew arguing with Hannibal was useless. He always has the last word.

Hannibal searched the next telephone cell and called Face. It cost him some dollar and much patient till the man at the reception called for Face.

"Face, this is Hannibal speaking. Sorry to say but you have to come back earlier. Or should I say as soon as possible?"

"That isn't possible, Hannibal. Look, I can't get a flight until…"

"Face!" Hannibal said forcefully. It was that kind of "Face" that means it would be better to do what the Colonel wishes otherwise his future wouldn't be that rosy. Face could imagine how the Colonel's eyes were sparkling.

"Uhm…yeah, I'll be in L.A. soon."

"Ok kid, when you're in town you can help Murdock getting an airplane."

Hannibal knew that all what Face wanted to have is a normal life. Of cause he loves the guys as if it were his brothers and he loves kicking some bad guys, but his plan of his life actually wasn't to be on the run.

He left the telephone cell and went back to the studios. He grabbed some clothes and other needful things out of his caravan and threw it into a sea bag. He sighed. It had been a nice idea, to be the main action hero in this film.

An hour later he stood in a garden full of kids playing, screaming and laughing.

"Hey, has anybody seen Mr. Barracus, B.A.?" he shouted out loud.

Now he had the attention of some kids. Almost immediately some kids surrounded him, they seemed to be 12 or younger.

"Who wants to know this?" the biggest of them asked.

Hannibal gave him a big grin.

"The Aqua man wants to know where B.A. is."

"You aren't the Aqua man, sucker", the boy replayed. At this moment a big black man went out of the house.

"Ah, B.A., nice to see you. I just figured out that your kids leaned quickly from you."

"Hey boys this is one of my best friends and he is indeed the Aqua man," he said to all the children who stood around. "And I don't want to hear one of these words anymore, get it?"

"Wow, the Aqua man is here!" One of them screamed and one second later balls, base caps and other stuff was handed to Hannibal to sign it.

B.A. grinned as he looked at the colonel.

"Are you here on promotion tour, Hannibal?"

"Well, not really." he said while he continued giving autographs to the kids.

"We have a job. I'm afraid you have to leave your kids alone for a while."

"Is it true B.A.? You have to leave?" one boy asked.

"Yes it is, Kelvin. Remember: Sometimes I have to earn money. This is my boss." he answered and hugged Hannibal.

"Great! The Aqua man is your boss? What's your job?"

"He works as a technician in my crew, right B.A.?" Hannibal interfered.

"Yeah, that's right."

II.

The next evening the four men were in Tawnia's apartment. B.A. and Murdock were sitting on the couch, Face was sitting on a chair and Hannibal was standing and looking out of the window.

Tawnia came in the living room carrying some drinks and snacks.

"Bad news guys, I guess it's really Amy who is kidnapped. I've spoken to a reporter in Damascus on the phone. She and Amy met several times in a local teahouse. They both worked on the same story, but she didn't tell me what it was about. She said that Amy was interviewing some people at a mosque when it had happened. She and some European tourists where captured by armed men. Probably Moslems. This reporter is now afraid. Because she believes it has something to do with the story and that it is no coincidence that Amy is one of the victims. You can meet her at the Black Horse Hostel. Her name is Hanna Noak. "We don't know where the kidnappers are and what they really want. Till now it's just clear that Amy and six others are under control of this men. Every other thing is speculation."

Tawnia took place between Murdock and B.A.. They all looked worried, but Hannibal was the first who found some words.

"And you are sure that you and this reporter have spoken about the same person?"

"Yes, I'm afraid we do. The description fits perfectly, the name is correct and it sounds much like Amy when the reporter asked her why they don't go to the police and Amy just answered: "It's for the jazz."

Hannibal grimaced. Yeah, that sounds very much like Amy. He asked himself if it was his fault, that Amy now was like that. May be if he had rejected her request to join the team he would have stayed in L.A. and maybe have married a handsome young man.

Sure, Amy marries, he said to himself. Perhaps a banker and then she visits some of these aerobic courses and fights with the Hoover. No way! Hannibal remembered Amy holding a gun and how exited she always was when she had that special feeling. The same feeling he also had often, when the others say he is on the jazz. That was Amy and she looked damn well this way. He liked her this way and if he was honest he never whished she would be different.

He sighed and turned around looking at his team.

"Damascus?" B.A. growled. "I aint going in no plain, Hannibal! I told you. I also told you what would happened if you try to get me into a plain again."

"Air plain?" Hannibal asked innocently. "Did anybody said something of an air plain?"

"You can't fool me, sucker. Not this time. I told you what would happen, didn't I?"

B.A. now was on his feet and the way he waved his ringed fists suggested that it had to do something with violence.

"C'mon B.A., be soft, ok? I really said nothing about plains."

"And what about this crazy fool?" he pointed at Murdock who still sat on the couch. "Why is he here?"

Hannibal claimed to be surprised. "He is a member of our team."

"Yeah, this fool is our pilot. So you plan to fly to Damascus."

B.A. made another step towards Hannibal but he swayed and then passed out. Hannibal caught him and left him down to the couch.

"How did you do this? I saw nothing." Face looked admiring at Hannibal who took out a cigar. He beamed at Tawnia.

"You remember that B.A. was going to the toilet, when we arrived? And that Tawnia rushed in be for, saying it's better to use the room spray, because it smells? Uhm well, it wasn't only spray, but also a narcotic." He and Tawnia grinned.

"Congratulations from Billy and me, colonel, that was great." Murdock said

"Thanks Murdock." Hannibal chuckled.

"Ok, let's go. I want to be in Damascus tomorrow morning. Tawnia, you will stay in L.A.. Somebody has to inform us about what the Western World is planning to do. So keep you eyes open, kid."

III.

After Hannibal and Face had tied B.A. on his seat they stretched themselves and tried to get some sleep. Murdock was doing his job at the cockpit. A recorder stood on the co-pilot's seat, playing the Rolling Stones.

It was a long flight and Hannibal couldn't sleep that well, so he decided to visit Murdock at the cockpit.

"Everything all right, captain?" he said opening the door. Murdock took the recorder and placed it behind his seat.

"Sit down, colonel." he offered. "There are unsolved problems with Amy, am I right?" Murdock began.

Hannibal wasn't surprised that Murdock had made out that there was something. If there was one man who could see such things, it was Murdock. Hannibal always had the impression that Murdock wasn't that crazy all the time.

But Hannibal wasn't in the mood of talking to Murdock.

"Isn't it a bit difficult to land in the middle of the Near East for an American plain?" he asked.

"Not if you are invited from one of the richest sheiks of Syria."

Hannibal raised an eyebrow. "We're invited?"

"Yeah, the daughter of sheik El Amid is studying in L.A. and Faceman and she…"

"Ok, get it, don't tell me more" Hannibal laughed out loud. "I can imagine the rest of the story myself."

They both laughed. Both of them knew Amy had a special importance to their lifes.

"Murdock I know how important Amy is to you. He always had visited you at the VA. You know we guys care much about you, but it's to risky visiting you there, so Amy…"

Murdock interrupts him with a gesture of his hand.

"That's not the point Hannibal. Yeah of course it meant much to me, that she had visit me so often, that she was my friend.

But what about you? I guess you have your own reasons, your own feelings for her, but I can't put my finger on it. So tell me what's up. Even you need somebody to talk from time to time."

"Ok, Murdock, understood. Now I'll have a look at our sleeping beauty. Will make sure that he sleeps well, till we are on the ground."

He gave the pilot a slap and left the cockpit.

Maybe it was better to get some sleep like Face and B.A., who snored at their seats.

Face and Hannibal waked up when they heard the pilots voice from the boxes.

"Good morning Ladies and Gentleman. Welcome in sunny Syria. The temperature is 42 degrees today. We will land at Damascus International Airport in some Minutes. I hope you enjoyed the flight and chose our airline another time."

"We have no other chance, Murdock." Face said more to himself as to the pilot.

Half an hour later they stood in front of a very luxuries limousine.

"Welcome! Welcome in Syria. Sheik El Amid is greeting you Mr. Peck. You and your friends are the guests of the El Amid family as long as you whish to stay. The sheik would like to learn more about the man his daughter is speaking so often when she phones home." Hannibal glanced at Face who tried to ignore the colonel. A traditional dressed Arab smiled at the three men and looked worried at B.A. who was held up by Hannibal and Murdock.

"Is everything alright with your friend? May he needs medical help?"

"Oh no. It's just that he is always that exhausted when he flies that he is that tired at the end." Murdock explained seriously.

Nearly two hours later they were at El Amid's home. Every one of them get his one chamber and it was quiet comfortable. After they get some food Hannibal and Face went out to find this reporter, while Murdock got some sleep and B.A. didn't wake up, it seemed that he needs his time.

"Ok, Face. Let's find this Mrs. Noak at the Black Horse Hostel and see what he didn't want tell Tawnia on phone."

TO BE CONTINUED…